US men jailed for helping North Korean IT workers secure remote jobs

Two US citizens have been sentenced to 18 months in prison for operating so-called “laptop farms” that helped North Korean IT workers obtain remote jobs at dozens of American companies, according to US prosecutors.

Matthew Issac Knoot from Tennessee and Erick Ntekereze Prince from New York were convicted in separate cases linked to schemes that allowed overseas North Korean workers to appear as if they were based in the United States while working remotely for American firms, News.Az reports, citing Help Net Security.  

Authorities said the men received company-issued laptops at their homes after businesses hired remote IT employees they believed were located in the US. The defendants allegedly installed remote desktop software that enabled North Korean workers overseas to access the devices and work through US-based connections.

Prosecutors said Prince helped at least three North Korean IT workers secure jobs at American companies between 2020 and 2024 through his company, Taggcar Inc. Companies reportedly paid more than $943,000 in salaries connected to the operation, with much of the money transferred abroad.

Knoot was accused of running a laptop farm from residences in Nashville between 2022 and 2023. Prosecutors said the operation generated more than $250,000 from several US companies and caused additional auditing and remediation costs exceeding $500,000.

Both men were also ordered to forfeit funds and pay restitution as part of their sentences.

US officials said the convictions are part of a broader crackdown targeting North Korean illicit revenue schemes involving remote IT employment. Authorities warned that assisting such operations is considered a federal crime with national security implications.

The FBI stated that the recent cases should serve as a warning to anyone considering helping North Korean IT workers gain access to remote employment at US companies.

News.Az 

By Leyla Şirinova