OFAC imposed sanctions on two individuals and two entities for involvement in a North Korean remote IT worker scheme that generates illicit revenue for weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs. The targeted individuals and firms include Vitaliy Sergeyevich Andreyev, Kim Ung Sun, Shenyang Geumpungri Network Technology Co., Ltd, and Korea Sinjin Trading Corporation, and the action broadens prior measures against Chinyong Information Technology Cooperation Company. Chinyong is linked to deploying IT workers for freelance work and cryptocurrency theft and maintains offices in China, Laos, and Russia. The scheme embeds North Korean IT workers in legitimate companies using fraudulent documents, stolen identities, and false online personas across multiple development and freelancing platforms, sometimes introducing malware to exfiltrate data and extort victims. The activity is tracked under multiple cluster names and is assessed to be affiliated with the Workers' Party of Korea, prompting Treasury actions to protect U.S. businesses and hold perpetrators accountable.
The years-long IT worker threat, also tracked as Famous Chollima, Jasper Sleet, UNC5267, and Wagemole, is assessed to be affiliated with the Workers' Party of Korea. At its core, the scheme works by embedding North Korean IT workers in legitimate companies in the U.S. and elsewhere, securing these jobs using fraudulent documents, stolen identities, and false personas on GitHub, CodeSandbox, Freelancer, Medium, RemoteHub, CrowdWorks, and WorkSpace.ru.
The key players targeted include Vitaliy Sergeyevich Andreyev, Kim Ung Sun, Shenyang Geumpungri Network Technology Co., Ltd, and Korea Sinjin Trading Corporation. The latest effort expands the scope of sanctions imposed against Chinyong Information Technology Cooperation Company in May 2023. Chinyong, according to insider risk management firm DTEX, is one of the many IT companies that have deployed IT workers for engaging in freelance IT work and cryptocurrency theft. It has offices in China, Laos, and Russia.
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