Markenzy Lapointe U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida
The Department of Justice has announced the indictment of five individuals, including two North Korean nationals, for their involvement in a scheme to secure remote IT work with U.S. companies, generating revenue for North Korea. The accused include Jin Sung-Il and Pak Jin-Song from North Korea, Pedro Ernesto Alonso De Los Reyes from Mexico, and U.S. citizens Erick Ntekereze Prince and Emanuel Ashtor.
"This indictment reflects the Southern District of Florida’s commitment to disrupting North Korea’s attempts to generate revenue through intricate schemes that victimize U.S. companies and threaten our national security," stated Michael S. Davis, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida.
According to authorities, the defendants engaged in fraudulent activities from April 2018 through August 2024. They allegedly obtained work from at least sixty-four U.S. companies, resulting in over $866,255 in revenue being laundered through a Chinese bank account.
"The DPRK continues its efforts to evade sanctions to fund the regime’s priorities," said Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI's Miami Field Office. The FBI has arrested Ntekereze and Ashtor and conducted a search at Ashtor's residence in North Carolina.
The scheme involved using false identities and documents to bypass sanctions and obtain employment within U.S. firms. The defendants are charged with multiple offenses including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.
Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran of the FBI’s Cyber Division emphasized the risks posed by such schemes: "The indictments announced today should highlight to all American companies the risk posed by the North Korean government."
Under new initiatives like "DPRK RevGen: Domestic Enabler Initiative," launched by the National Security Division and FBI's Cyber Divisions in March 2024, there is an increased focus on identifying such deceptive operations known as “laptop farms.”
An indictment is merely an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
