Arizona woman pleads guilty in $17M "laptop farm" scam linked to North Korea
An Arizona woman who helped North Korean IT workers pose as U.S.-based employees—raking in over $17 million in the process—has pleaded guilty in federal court.
Christina Marie Chapman, 49, admitted to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, identity theft, and money laundering in a scheme that defrauded over 300 U.S. companies and funneled money to North Korea’s weapons program.
Chapman ran a "laptop farm" out of her home from October 2020 to October 2023, setting up computers that allowed foreign IT workers to spoof U.S. locations and apply for remote jobs under stolen identities. Some of these fake employees landed positions at Fortune 500 companies, including:
A top-five U.S. television network
A major Silicon Valley tech firm
An aerospace and defense manufacturer
A luxury retail chain
A leading U.S. auto company
Once hired, their paychecks were sent to Chapman's home or bank accounts, before being laundered and transferred to North Korea—potentially funding military operations and cyberwarfare.
How the scheme worked:
Identity theft – Chapman helped steal personal information from over 70 Americans to apply for jobs.
Fake employment – Foreign workers, appearing as U.S. citizens, secured jobs at major companies.
Payroll laundering – Salaries were funneled through Chapman’s accounts before being sent overseas.
Data exfiltration – North Koreans reportedly hand-picked companies to infiltrate for potential intellectual property theft.
Authorities say Chapman’s network falsified tax records and even submitted over 100 fake documents to the Department of Homeland Security.
Sentencing
Chapman, who was arrested in May 2024, is set to be sentenced on June 16. Under her plea deal, prosecutors are recommending a 7 to 9-year prison sentence.
The Justice Department says similar fraud schemes have netted North Korea at least $88 million over six years, funding one of the world's most notorious cybercrime operations.
