A bombshell report from the Wall Street Journal reveals that North Korean operatives have been fraudulently securing U.S. remote work positions using fake identities—then funneling those paychecks directly back to Kim Jong-un’s regime. According to federal prosecutors, one operation alone netted a jaw-dropping $17.1 million.

These so-called “laptop farms” are run by North Korean nationals pretending to be legitimate American freelancers or tech workers. Using virtual private networks (VPNs), forged documents, and even accomplices inside the U.S., they’ve managed to infiltrate hundreds of companies and secure access to sensitive data and revenue streams.

FBI Section Chief Gregory Austin told the Journal that this scheme is more than a few bad actors. It’s a key financial pillar for a dictatorship that relies on illicit trade, cybercrime, and now—stolen employment—to fund its missile program and regime survival. “This isn’t petty theft,” Austin warned. “It’s industrial-scale espionage posing as remote work.”

The infiltration is reportedly vast and well-coordinated. Workers—posing as qualified developers, designers, or IT professionals—apply for jobs through mainstream job boards and gig platforms, passing background checks with forged records. Once hired, they typically use U.S.-based “handlers” to pick up mail or serve as communication intermediaries to avoid detection.

According to U.S. officials, these covert workers are often grouped into cells or “laptop farms” managed by North Korea’s state intelligence apparatus. In one case, prosecutors said the operatives worked for more than 300 companies, laundering millions in salaries back to Pyongyang.

And while the FBI has been tracking the activity for years, the scale of the damage is only now coming to light. Federal investigators believe these operatives have not only funneled cash but also collected sensitive corporate data and exposed private company systems to potential breaches.

This revelation comes amid growing concern over North Korea’s increasingly aggressive stance on the global stage. Just this month, the Congressional Research Service warned that Kim Jong-un now has the capacity to build up to 90 nuclear warheads. With sanctions tightening, these covert job scams may be one of the few remaining ways for the regime to sustain its operations.

In response, lawmakers are calling for tighter digital ID verification, deeper screening for remote positions, and a full review of cybersecurity practices in the freelance labor economy. “The American tech and gig economy has become an unguarded front door for our adversaries,” one senior congressional aide told the Daily Caller.

U.S. companies—especially in finance, healthcare, and tech—are being urged to conduct thorough audits of their remote hires and reevaluate security protocols for sensitive projects. The FBI has also launched new initiatives to track and disrupt these operations, encouraging businesses to report suspicious activity.

What makes this scheme so alarming is how easily it flew under the radar. In an age where remote work is the new normal, North Korea appears to have cracked the code—exploiting American openness and trust to siphon money and intelligence.

The message is clear: The battlefield isn’t just in cyberspace or foreign policy circles anymore. It’s in your inbox, your Zoom meetings, and your payroll system. And unless the U.S. acts fast, the next round of hostile activity could be funded by our own paychecks.