US offers $15 million reward for info on North Korean nationals involved in global criminal network | CyberScoop<\/title> <meta name=\"description\" content=\"The State Department announced Thursday it will pay up to $15 million for information leading to the arrest of seven North Korean nationals accused of operating criminal schemes.\"> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/state-department-reward-north-korea-it-worker-scheme\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"US offers $15 million reward for info on North Korean nationals involved in global criminal network\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The State Department announced Thursday it will pay up to $15 million for information leading to the arrest of seven North Korean nationals accused of operating criminal schemes.\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" 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js-stickybar-close\" aria-controls=\"stickybar\"> <svg class=\"icon icon--close\" width=\"21\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 22\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"m.822.518-.805.805L9.695 11 .017 20.678l.805.805 9.678-9.678 9.677 9.678.806-.805L11.305 11l9.678-9.677-.806-.805-9.677 9.677L.822.518Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg> <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Close<\/span> <\/button> <\/section>\n<article class=\"single-article content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__container js-single-article-content\">\n<header class=\"single-article__header \" readability=\"25.342528735632\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"34.371428571429\">\n<ul class=\"single-article__eyebrow\">\n<li class=\"single-article__category\"> <a class=\"single-article__category-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/state-department-reward-north-korea-it-worker-scheme\/\"> <span>Government<\/span> <\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> The announcement comes as an Arizona woman was sentenced to more than eight years in jail for her role in running a laptop farm. <\/p>\n<p>  <br \/>\n<audio id=\"audio-player\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-tts-cdn.api.scpnewsgrp.com\/cyberscoop\/85316\/english.openai.mp3\"><\/audio> <\/p>\n<div readability=\"11\">\n<div>\n<p>Listen to this article<\/p>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p>0:00<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p> <span id=\"tts-tooltip\">Learn more.<\/span> <span> This feature uses an automated voice, which may result in occasional errors in pronunciation, tone, or sentiment. <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>  <\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/us-offers-15-million-reward-for-info-on-north-korean-nationals-involved-in-global-criminal-network.jpg?resize=640%2C426&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/us-offers-15-million-reward-for-info-on-north-korean-nationals-involved-in-global-criminal-network-2.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/us-offers-15-million-reward-for-info-on-north-korean-nationals-involved-in-global-criminal-network-2.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/us-offers-15-million-reward-for-info-on-north-korean-nationals-involved-in-global-criminal-network-2.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/us-offers-15-million-reward-for-info-on-north-korean-nationals-involved-in-global-criminal-network-2.jpg?resize=1024,682 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/us-offers-15-million-reward-for-info-on-north-korean-nationals-involved-in-global-criminal-network-2.jpg?resize=1536,1023 1536w, 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<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"26.160246289864\"><body readability=\"53.535294117647\"><\/p>\n<p>The State Department announced Thursday it will pay up to $15 million for information leading to the arrest of seven North Korean nationals accused of operating criminal schemes that generate revenue for Pyongyang\u2019s weapons programs, marking the latest effort to disrupt financing networks that have funneled money around sanctions.<\/p>\n<p>The coordinated action that also involved the Justice and Treasury departments targets what officials describe as an extensive network involving cryptocurrency theft, fraudulent remote IT work, tobacco smuggling and other illicit activities that primarily target U.S. companies and citizens.<\/p>\n<p>The largest reward, $7 million, is offered for Sim Hyon-sop, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.state.gov\/releases\/2025\/07\/united-states-disrupts-north-korea-revenue-generation-offering-rewards-of-up-to-15-million\">who prosecutors say<\/a> led tobacco smuggling operations designed to generate U.S. dollars for North Korea. Six co-conspirators carry bounties ranging from $500,000 to $3 million each.<\/p>\n<p>The announcement comes as U.S. officials increasingly focus on North Korea\u2019s ability to circumvent international sanctions <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/north-korea-cybercrime-dtex-research-center-227\/\">through criminal enterprises<\/a> that have grown more sophisticated in recent years. Intelligence assessments indicate revenue from these schemes directly funds North Korea\u2019s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, which have expanded significantly under Kim Jong Un\u2019s leadership.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>One of the most lucrative schemes involves dispatching <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/north-korean-it-workers-secureworks-report\/\">thousands of North Korean IT workers<\/a> abroad, primarily to Russia and China, where they assume false identities to secure remote positions with U.S. companies. These workers often target high-paying technology jobs, with earnings sent back to North Korea to support government programs. <\/p>\n<p>In a related case, a U.S. citizen, Christina Marie Chapman, was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/pr\/arizona-woman-sentenced-17m-information-technology-worker-fraud-scheme-generated-revenue\">sentenced to more than eight years<\/a> in prison Thursday for facilitating a scheme that defrauded more than 300 U.S. companies, by helping North Korean IT workers obtain remote positions under false pretenses.<\/p>\n<p>The Treasury Department simultaneously sanctioned Korea Sobaeksu Trading Company, which officials say has deployed IT workers to Vietnam, along with three additional North Korean nationals involved in similar schemes.<\/p>\n<p>Research has indicated these operations generate hundreds of millions of dollars annually, providing North Korea with hard currency needed to purchase materials and technology for weapons development.<\/p>\n<p>The use of criminal revenue to fund state weapons programs represents what analysts describe as a hybrid model where <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/north-korea-cybercrime-dtex-research-center-227\/\">traditional organized crime intersects<\/a> with state-sponsored activities to achieve strategic objectives.<\/p>\n<p><\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\" readability=\"3.7329545454545\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"14\">\n<div class=\"author-card__avatar\">\n<figure class=\"author-card__image-wrap\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-card__image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/us-offers-15-million-reward-for-info-on-north-korean-nationals-involved-in-global-criminal-network-1.jpg?w=640&ssl=1\" alt=\"Greg Otto\"> <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by Greg Otto<\/h4>\n<p> Greg Otto is Editor-in-Chief of CyberScoop, overseeing all editorial content for the website. Greg has led cybersecurity coverage that has won various awards, including accolades from the Society of Professional Journalists and the American Society of Business Publication Editors. Prior to joining Scoop News Group, Greg worked for the Washington Business Journal, U.S. News & World Report and WTOP Radio. He has a degree in broadcast journalism from Temple University. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__tags-container\">\n<h4 class=\"single-article__tags-title\">In This Story<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<p> <\/html><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__ads js-single-article-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-5 ad--rightrail_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-4 ad--rightrail_2 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-3 ad--rightrail_3 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"popular-stories popular-stories--single-post\">\n<div class=\"popular-stories__container\">\n<h2 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{"id":7828,"date":"2025-07-25T10:00:34","date_gmt":"2025-07-25T15:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=85316"},"modified":"2025-07-25T10:00:34","modified_gmt":"2025-07-25T15:00:34","slug":"us-offers-15-million-reward-for-info-on-north-korean-nationals-involved-in-global-criminal-network","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2025\/07\/25\/us-offers-15-million-reward-for-info-on-north-korean-nationals-involved-in-global-criminal-network\/","title":{"rendered":"US offers $15 million reward for info on North Korean nationals involved in global criminal network"},"content":{"rendered":"