The U.S. government announced on Monday that it had dismantled a covert operation allegedly designed to help North Koreans land remote tech jobs with American companies — funneling millions of dollars back to the heavily sanctioned country.
At the center of the case is Zhenxing Wang, a U.S. citizen from New Jersey, who was taken into custody. Alongside him, six individuals from China and two from Taiwan have been indicted for their alleged involvement in the scheme, according to a statement from the Justice Department.
Prosecutors say the group helped North Korean nationals secure remote IT roles under false identities, working for more than 100 U.S. companies — including some of the biggest names in the corporate world. In total, the operation is believed to have generated over $5 million.
Authorities claim the scheme involved hijacking the identities of over 80 Americans to create fake worker profiles. The North Korean workers not only received regular paychecks from unsuspecting employers but, in some cases, accessed sensitive data — including military-related technology and cryptocurrency assets.
“These efforts are designed to deceive U.S. companies, bypass sanctions, and funnel money into North Korea’s weapons development,” said Assistant Attorney General John Eisenberg.
Leah Foley, a U.S. Attorney involved in the case, underscored the urgency of the situation. “The danger posed by these actors is real. Thousands of North Korean cyber operatives are out there, blending into the digital workforce and targeting U.S. companies from behind a screen.”
The Chinese government, responding to the charges against its nationals, pushed back. A spokesperson for the foreign ministry stated, “China opposes any unilateral sanctions that lack legal grounding under international law or U.N. authorization. We will continue to defend the rights of Chinese citizens.”
This case adds to growing concerns about how North Korea’s digital reach is evolving — and how technology is being used to quietly support one of the world’s most isolated regimes.
