The U.S. government is offering a $5 million reward for information on North Korean nationals sneaking into American tech companies and related cyber schemes. This is an effort to crack down on financial networks that fund the activities of the North Korean regime, including the “proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.”
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The reward is offered through the State Department’s Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program. The program serves as a national security tool and has paid out over $250 million to tipsters since its inception under President Ronald Reagan in 1984.
In a statement on Thursday, the State Department said:
The U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program, which is administered by the Diplomatic Security Service, is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information that leads to the disruption of financial mechanisms of persons engaged in certain activities that support the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). This includes the exportation of workers from North Korea to generate revenue, money laundering, and certain cyber activity that supports the DPRK’s proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
The financial reward was announced on the heels of the Department of Justice indicting 14 North Korean nationals on Wednesday for their involvement in an extortion and identity theft racket.
In an earlier report, RedState’s Jeff Charles explains:
The conspiracy, which spanned from 2017 to 2023, involved identity theft, wire fraud, money laundering, and extortion, the Justice Department said in a press release.
The defendants allegedly worked for North Korea-controlled companies Yanbian Silverstar and Volasys Silverstar, which operate out of China and Russia, respectively. The companies employed over 130 IT workers who generated at least $88 million for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) over six years.
“To prop up its brutal regime, the North Korean government directs IT workers to gain employment through fraud, steal sensitive information from U.S. companies, and siphon money back to the DPRK,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco explained.
She indicated that the indictment exposes “their alleged sanctions evasion,” while serving as a warning to businesses worldwide.
The defendants allegedly used stolen and fake identities to obtain remote IT work with U.S.-based companies and nonprofit organizations. They used their positions to obtain sensitive information which was later used for extortion.
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The defendants face over two decades in prison if convicted.
Read More:
Exposed: North Korea’s $88 Million Cyber Scheme That Duped American Companies
Chinese National Busted in California on Smuggling Charges—Accused of Sending Arms to Our Enemy
The indictment and reward are part of a wider strategy by the United States to combat the North Korean financial networks used to thwart US sanctions. The investigation has also resulted in the freezing of millions of dollars in illegal funds and the closure of several websites associated with the crimes.
The Justice Department is urging individuals with information to come forward. Tips can be submitted anonymously via the RFJ website or a Tor-based reporting channel, ensuring confidentiality for those providing information.
