Matthew Isaac Knoot, a Nashville resident, faces charges for helping fund North Korea's weapons program, which involves weapons of mass destruction.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) alleges that Knoot helped North Korean nationals pose as US citizens to get remote jobs in US and UK tech companies, and launder the payments they received. These payments were reportedly funneled into accounts linked to North Korean and Chinese entities.
Knoot allegedly set up remote desktop applications allowing North Korean workers to operate from China while appearing to be based in Nashville. For his role, Knoot received a monthly payment from a foreign facilitator named Yang Di.
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The DOJ highlighted that the fraudulent schemes by North Korean IT workers involved fake email, social media accounts, payment platforms, job sites, and proxy computers. These operations often involved both knowing and unknowing third parties in the US and other countries.
United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee stated:
North Korea has dispatched thousands of highly skilled information technology workers around the world to dupe unwitting businesses and evade international sanctions so that it can continue to fund its dangerous weapons program.
Knoot faces multiple charges, including conspiracy to damage protected computers, conspiracy to money laundering, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy to unlawfully employ aliens. If found guilty, he could face up to 20 years in prison.
This case serves as a reminder of the serious national security threats of international cyber fraud and money laundering.
In other news, a judge has recently approved a reduced sentence for ex-Ethereum developer Virgil Griffith, who was convicted of violating sanctions against North Korea.
