Ukrainian Man Sentenced to 5 Years for North Korean Remote Work Scheme Facilitation
Ukrainian National Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Aiding North Korea’s Scheme to Hire Remote IT Workers
A Ukrainian national has been sentenced to five years in prison for his role in a scheme to aid the North Korean government’s efforts to hire remote IT workers at US companies.
Identity Theft and Fake Accounts
The individual, Oleksandr Didenko, stole the identities of US citizens and created over 2,500 fake accounts on freelance job forums, money service transmitters, and social media platforms.
These stolen identities were then sold to North Korean workers, who used them to gain employment at 40 US companies.
Operation and Investigation
Didenko, 29, pleaded guilty to multiple crimes related to the six-year scheme in November 2025.
He operated a website, upworksell.com, to sell the stolen identities and paid co-conspirators to host laptop farms in several US states.
Through these laptop farms, Didenko managed up to 871 identities and helped North Korean technical workers obtain employment at US companies.
The money earned by these workers was then funneled into the coffers of the North Korean regime, with a significant portion going towards the country’s munitions programs.
Threat to National Security
US Attorney Jeanine Pirro stated that the scheme posed a significant threat to national security, as it allowed North Korean actors to infiltrate American companies and steal sensitive information.
Pirro emphasized that the crime was not only financial in nature but also a direct threat to the country’s security.
Investigation and Sentencing
The investigation into Didenko’s activities began in late 2023, when one of his customers requested a computer be sent to a laptop farm run by Christina Chapman in Arizona.
Chapman was subsequently arrested in May 2024 and sentenced to 102 months in prison for her involvement in the scheme.
Didenko’s website was seized following Chapman’s arrest, and he was later arrested by Polish police in late 2024.
He was extradited to the US and pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft.
As part of his sentencing, Didenko agreed to forfeit over $1.4 million and pay nearly $47,000 in restitution.
Ongoing Concerns
The case highlights the ongoing efforts of US law enforcement to disrupt North Korea’s scheme to infiltrate US companies and steal sensitive information.
Despite some successes, including the seizure of stolen cryptocurrency and the targeting of US-based facilitators, the regime’s operations remain a significant concern.
Researchers continue to uncover evidence of new tactics and techniques used by North Korean operatives to evade detection, and the country’s nationals have infiltrated many top global companies.
The case serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance in the face of increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
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