The United States sanctioned 10 individuals and one entity over North Korean worker schemes
The United States imposed sanctions Wednesday on 10 individuals and one entity accused of helping North Korean IT workers defraud businesses and generate revenue for weapons programs. The Treasury Department said networks used stolen identities and documents to secure jobs at legitimate firms, including U.S. companies. Targets include two Russians, eight North Koreans and a North Korean-controlled entity in Russia.
More context
The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on 10 individuals and one entity that the Treasury Department said facilitated North Korean IT-worker schemes to defraud businesses and generate revenue for Pyongyang’s weapons programs. The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control said the networks help workers obtain jobs at legitimate companies, including American businesses, using stolen identities and fraudulent documents. North Korea takes most of the workers’ wages to fund its weapons programs, the Treasury said.
The sanctioned individuals include two Russian nationals accused of facilitating cryptocurrency transactions for North Korean operatives and eight North Koreans involved in overseas IT-worker networks. The entity, First Financial and Technical Development Center, is North Korean-controlled and operates in Russia. The Treasury said it used IT workers and sophisticated cryptocurrency transactions to generate millions of dollars for Pyongyang.
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Reporting
- Reuters — US sanctions North Korean network accused of defrauding businesses | Reuters
- Facebook — The Treasury Department sanctioned 10 individuals and ...
- yna.co.kr — U.S. sanctions 10 individuals, entity over N. Korean IT worker fraud schemes | Yonhap News Agency
- sanctions.com — U.S. sanctions North Korean IT worker networks in Russia
Verifier’s note
Reuters, The Hill, Yonhap News Agency, and Sanctions.com report that the United States imposed sanctions on a North Korean IT-worker network accused of defrauding businesses. Their reports are dated October 28, 2026, consistent with the proposed event’s timing.