DOJ Cracks Down on North Korean Fraud, Crypto Theft

North Korean hackers are estimated to have stolen more than $2 billion in crypto assets in the first nine months of this year.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un leads a party meeting on strengthening the military, in this handout photo released on May 30, 2025. Korean Central News Agency via Reuters

Four Americans and a Ukrainian national who aided North Korea’s information technology (IT) worker fraud involving U.S. companies pleaded guilty to their crimes, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a Nov. 14 statement.

The DOJ was also seeking forfeiture of more than $15 million in cryptocurrencies stolen and laundered by North Korean hackers. These nationwide actions aim to combat illicit revenue generated by the regime.