WASHINGTON-Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned 10 individuals and one entity for their roles in Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) government-run information technology (IT) worker schemes that defraud U.S. businesses and generate revenue for the DPRK’s unlawful weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missile programs.
“The North Korean regime continues targeting and exploiting American companies through fraudulent activities conducted by its overseas IT operatives, who weaponize sensitive data and extort businesses for substantial payments,” said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. “Under President Trump’s leadership, Treasury will continue to use all available tools to protect U.S. businesses from these malicious activities and hold those responsible accountable.”
The DPRK continues to rely on fraudulent documents, stolen identities, and fabricated personas to conceal its IT workers and secure employment with legitimate companies, including those in the United States and allied countries. The DPRK regime then appropriates most of these workers’ wages, generating hundreds of millions of dollars to fund its unlawful WMD and ballistic missile programs. Today’s action targets key facilitators and financial networks that help sustain these schemes and move illicit proceeds on behalf of the DPRK. These networks have leveraged sophisticated cryptocurrency transactions, money laundering techniques, and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence tools, to generate and transfer millions of dollars for the DPRK government. In addition to generating revenue, DPRK IT workers have exploited their access to corporate networks to deploy malware, exfiltrate sensitive data, and steal proprietary information, creating significant risks for businesses worldwide.
Today’s action builds on OFAC’s March 12, 2026 designation of a separate DPRK IT worker network and demonstrates Treasury’s sustained commitment to dismantling the networks that generate illicit revenue for the DPRK. These networks permeate through the global financial system, necessitating a unified response to match the threat. The United States is joined this month by Australia and the European Union in designating individuals and entities supporting the DPRK’s revenue generation and military activities. Treasury continues to take these actions in close partnership with the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) Participating States and other international partners. Working with allies and partners, the United States will continue to expose and disrupt those enabling the DPRK to evade sanctions and finance its unlawful weapons programs.