US woman handed 8-year prison sentence for stealing identities to 'give North Koreans jobs'

A woman from Arizona has been sentenced to eight years behind bars after being involved in a scheme to steal the identities of US workers and pass them to North Koreans.

Back in February, Christina Chapman, 50, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering after being arrested in May 2024.

Chapman admitted to stealing the identities of 68 American citizens before helping workers overseas using those identities to pose as US citizens at over 300 companies across the nation.

Officials state the complicated scheme generated a whopping $17 million that was sent back to North Korea, a country that is very much cut off from the rest of the world.

However, officials say Chapman was unaware she was helping North Korea during her time being involved with the scheme.

Acting Assistant Attorney General, Matthew R. Galeotti, said: "Christina Chapman perpetrated a years’ long scheme that resulted in millions of dollars raised for the DPRK regime, exploited more than 300 American companies and government agencies, and stole dozens of identities of American citizens.

Chapman will spend eight years behind bars (Getty Stock Photo)

"Chapman made the wrong calculation: short-term personal gains that inflict harm on our citizens and support a foreign adversary will have severe long term consequences.

"I encourage companies to remain vigilant of these cyber threats, and warn individuals who may be tempted by similar schemes to take heed of today’s sentence."

Meanwhile, US Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia explained how the sentencing of Chapman is important considering the ongoing 'threat' from North Korea.

The Justice Department official said: "The North Korean regime has generated millions of dollars for its nuclear weapons program by victimizing American citizens, businesses, and financial institutions.

"However, even an adversary as sophisticated as the North Korean government can't succeed without the assistance of willing U.S. citizens like Christina Chapman, who was sentenced today for her role in an elaborate scheme to defraud more than 300 American companies by helping North Korean IT workers gain virtual employment and launder the money they earned.

Chapman was involved in the complicated operation (Handout)

"Today's sentencing demonstrates that the FBI will work tirelessly with our partners to defend the homeland and hold those accountable who aid our adversaries."

Chapman admitted to operating a laptop farm where she received and hosted computers from the US companies, including the sports giant Nike.

Officials also say Chapman shipped 49 laptops and other devices supplied by the companies overseas, with many of them heading to Dandong, a Chinese city on the North Korean border.

Chapman would help the workers remotely connect to the devices while helping them earn money from the US firms.

The woman from Arizona will now spend the next eight years in prison.