North Korean IT workers are using forged documents, stolen identities, AI-generated rรฉsumรฉs and deepfake profiles to secure overseas jobs, according to Seoul Economic Daily citing Chainalysis. The workers reportedly receive cryptocurrency wages that are converted through Russian intermediaries and the sanctioned Garantex exchange, with stablecoins exchanged for Ethereum before cashing out.
The US Treasury sanctioned 10 individuals and one organization linked to the operation, including Russian facilitator Overtas, who allegedly converted about $2 million in cryptocurrency since January 2025. The reported proceeds are viewed by US authorities as a funding stream connected to North Koreaโs illicit weapons programs.