How one woman helped North Korea loot $17 million in crypto
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A surprising cyberfraud scheme saw a U.S. citizen enable North Korean IT operatives to pose as American workers, siphoning off millions. Her conviction shines a light on the sophistication of state-backed crypto heists and identity fraud.
102 Months Behind Bars for Aiding North Korea
Last July, 50-year-old Christina Marie Chapman of Arizona received a 102-month prison sentence for orchestrating a massive identity-theft ring. Between October 2020 and October 2023, she created fake U.S. identities and documents to help thousands of North Korean IT specialists secure remote roles at over 300 American companies—including Fortune 500 firms. The illicit operation generated more than $17 million in illicit proceeds, part of which was funneled back to the North Korean regime. Chapman pleaded guilty earlier in 2025 to conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering. Alongside her prison term, she was fined $176,850, ordered to forfeit $284,556, and placed under three years of supervised release.
A “Laptop Farm” Fueling Pyongyang’s Ambitions
Chapman ran what investigators called a “laptop farm” from her home, storing and dispatching devices so North Korean operators could appear to be working stateside. Law enforcement seized over 90 laptops during a 2023 raid, and Chapman had shipped nearly 50 more to a Chinese border city used as a relay to North Korea. The Department of Homeland Security flagged more than 100 falsified applications submitted on Chapman’s watch—a testament to the scale and organization of Pyongyang’s cyber-recruitment network.
Lazarus Group and the Crypto Connection
While identity schemes quietly infiltrated corporate systems, North Korea’s notorious Lazarus Group waged bold cryptoattacks—targeting exchanges like BitMart, Bybit, and HTX. These digital raids, collectively costing the industry billions, remain a prime funding source for the regime’s nuclear and weapons programs. Chapman’s case underscores how state-sponsored hackers blend cyberattacks with human-enabled fraud to maximize their loot.
This saga illustrates how one accomplice on American soil can amplify a regime’s global cyberthreat—turning seemingly small infractions into multimillion-dollar transfers.
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