The Justice Department indicted 14 North Korean nationals in Missouri on Wednesday, for carrying out an extortion and identity theft scheme to raise money for the nation’s regime in violation of United States sanctions.
The conspiracy, which spanned from 2017 to 2023, involved identity theft, wire fraud, money laundering, and extortion, the Justice Department said in a press release.
The defendants allegedly worked for North Korea-controlled companies Yanbian Silverstar and Volasys Silverstar, which operate out of China and Russia, respectively. The companies employed over 130 IT workers who generated at least $88 million for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) over six years.
“To prop up its brutal regime, the North Korean government directs IT workers to gain employment through fraud, steal sensitive information from U.S. companies, and…
