Companies in the United States, including one located in St. Louis, have unknowingly hired IT workers who have been secretly sending their wages to North Korea to fund the country’s ballistic missile program, according to officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). These IT workers, numbering in the thousands, used false identities to secure contract work with US companies and then funneled the money they earned to North Korea. The FBI has not disclosed the specific number of companies involved or the exact timeframe of the hiring, and they have not identified the St. Louis company that hired the North Korean workers.
North Korea, a country seen as hostile by the US, has conducted missile tests and made threats of military action against the US in recent years. The US does not have formal diplomatic relations with North Korea.
The FBI’s investigation has resulted in the seizure of over $1.5 million in funds and more than a dozen domain names related to the scheme. Most of the IT workers were based in China and masked their computer locations to make it appear as if they were operating from St. Louis instead.
Sayler A. Fleming, the US Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri, warned employers to be cautious about who they hire and allow access to their IT systems. Fleming emphasized the unintended consequences of unwittingly funding North Korea’s weapons program or compromising data security.
Special Agent Jay Greenberg, in charge of the St. Louis FBI field office, confirmed that there were ties to St. Louis in the investigation.
As the FBI continues its investigation, it serves as a reminder to employers to exercise caution when hiring remote IT workers and to remain vigilant in protecting sensitive information.
