Arizona Woman Admits to Running Laptop Farm for North Korean IT Workers, Faces Up to 9 Years in Prison

An Arizona woman has pleaded guilty to her role in a scheme that enabled North Korean IT workers to secure jobs at more than 300 U.S. companies, generating millions of dollars for the regime.

 

Christina Marie Chapman, 48, of Litchfield Park, pleaded guilty in a U.S. District Court to charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering conspiracy.

 

Federal prosecutors say Chapman helped North Korean workers use stolen identities to gain employment at American companies while disguising their true locations. She operated a “laptop farm” from her home, where corporate laptops were sent after the workers were hired. The setup made it appear as though the individuals were based in the U.S., when in reality, many were working remotely from China, Russia, Laos, and other countries allied with North Korea.

 

Between October 2020 and October 2023, the scheme generated more than $17.1 million in earnings, much of which was funneled back to North Korea’s government, authorities said. The workers were primarily hired through third-party staffing agencies and contracting firms.

 

Chapman was arrested in May 2024 as part of a larger crackdown on North Korea’s efforts to infiltrate the U.S. workforce. Her co-conspirator, Ukrainian national Oleksandr Didenko, was also charged and is currently awaiting extradition after being arrested in Poland.

 

The Department of Justice revealed that Chapman assisted at least three North Korean operatives—who used aliases such as Jiho Han, Chunji Jin, and Haoran Xu—in securing positions as software developers at major U.S. companies. These firms spanned industries including technology, aerospace, automotive, media, and retail.

 

U.S. officials said some of the North Korean workers had links to the country’s Munitions Industry Department, which oversees missile development and weapons research. While they attempted to secure jobs at two U.S. government agencies, those attempts were unsuccessful.

 

Chapman also played a role in processing fraudulent paychecks, laundering funds, and transmitting falsified documents to the Department of Homeland Security, prosecutors said.

 

Authorities warn that North Korean IT workers have been exploiting U.S. businesses for years, with some individuals earning up to $300,000 annually. In a separate case, 14 North Korean operatives allegedly generated $88 million through illicit employment and extortion schemes.

 

The FBI has cautioned that, as scrutiny of these operations increases, North Korean workers are resorting to extortion tactics, threatening to withhold sensitive company data unless ransom demands are met.

 

Chapman faces a prison sentence ranging from seven to nine years. Her sentencing is scheduled for June 16, 2025.