A TikTok influencer has been sentenced to 8 1/2 years in prison for her role in a scheme to help North Korean IT workers evade sanctions.
An Arizona-based TikTok influencer has been sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for her involvement in a North Korean scheme to infiltrate the US tech workforce and finance the regime’s weapons program.
Christina Marie Chapman, who achieved online fame through her freelance lifestyle content, was found guilty of wire fraud conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering in Washington, D.C.
Chapman was also required to forfeit more than $284,000 and pay restitution of $176,850, in addition to serving prison time. Additionally, she will be subject to three years of supervised release.
Influencer Operated a “Laptop Farm” to Assist North Korean IT Workers in Posing as US Employees
Chapman, according to prosecutors, maintained a “laptop farm” from her residence, which enabled North Korean IT personnel to remotely access U.S.-based networks while giving the impression of being physically present within the country.
She assisted operatives in securing distant positions at over 300 American companies, including Fortune 500 companies, a major television network, and a prominent aerospace manufacturer, between 2020 and her arrest.
Roman Rozhavsky, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division, stated, “Even an adversary as sophisticated as the North Korean government cannot succeed without the assistance of willing U.S. citizens like Christina Chapman.”
According to US authorities, North Korea has established a global network of IT operatives who employ proxy networks and false identities to secure employment and transfer funds to the regime.
Chapman facilitated these endeavors by establishing U.S.-based internet access, laundering earnings through personal bank accounts, and shipping laptops overseas, including multiple devices sent to a Chinese city near North Korea.
Over 90 laptops were confiscated from her residence by investigators, who also discovered that she had dispatched 49 additional laptops abroad.
The North Korean agents’ wages were fraudulently reported to the US tax and social security agencies under stolen or borrowed American identities.
In this operation, the crypto sector continues to be a significant target. In 2024, hackers affiliated with North Korea seized $1.34 billion in cryptocurrency, a 21% increase from the previous year, according to Chainalysis.
North Korean job seekers are becoming more sophisticated, according to cybersecurity specialists. They frequently employ European actors to host video interviews and conceal their locations using VPNs and proxy IPs.
North Korea Linked to Major Crypto Hacks
North Korea has also been associated with numerous other considerable crypto heists, such as those that targeted Bybit, the Ronin Bridge, Harmony, and various DeFi platforms.
Global law enforcement is responding. The US Department of Justice recently seized more than $7.7 million in digital assets associated with North Korean IT personnel employed by blockchain companies.
In 2023, the United States and South Korea executed a bilateral agreement to improve their technical capabilities in detecting and countering DPRK cyber operations.
North Korea’s cyber strategies are perpetually evolving. Operatives affiliated with Lazarus purportedly established shell companies in the United States in April to disseminate malware to cryptocurrency developers.
Kraken recently prevented an infiltration attempt by a suspected North Korean individual masquerading as a job candidate.