Laptop farmer behind $17M North Korean IT worker scam locked up for 8.5 years

An Arizona woman who ran a laptop farm from her home - helping North Korean IT operatives pose as US-based remote workers - has been sentenced to eight and a half years behind bars for her role in a $17 million fraud that hit more than 300 American companies.

After her arrest in May 2024, 50-year-old Christina Marie Chapman pleaded guilty in February to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. In addition to her 102-month prison term, Chapman will also serve three years of supervised release, and must forfeit $284,555.92 that was to be paid to the North Koreans, in addition to a $176,850 judgment, according to the US Attorney's Office.

This was one of the largest-ever North Korean IT worker scams prosecuted by the Justice Department, with 68 US persons' identities stolen and 309 US businesses, along with two ...