Christina Marie Chapman, a 50-year-old influencer from Arizona, was sentenced to over eight years in prison for her role in a scheme threatening U.S. national security.
Charges Against Christina Marie Chapman
Chapman received a 102-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to charges including wire fraud conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering conspiracy. She will also serve three years of supervised release and forfeited over $284,000.
Fraud Scheme for North Korean Hackers
According to prosecutors, Chapman operated a "laptop farm" starting in 2020, connecting work computers sent by U.S. employers to North Korean IT workers primarily located in China and near North Korea. She shipped at least 49 devices overseas to locations including cities near the China-North Korea border. When authorities searched her home, they found over 90 laptops, many labeled with the names of Americans whose identities were used in the scheme.
Consequences and Implications of the Case
The Department of Justice stated that the scheme generated more than $17 million in illicit income, providing foreign operatives virtual access to sensitive sectors including Fortune 500 companies and government agencies. Chapman forged payroll checks, received direct deposits into her accounts, and transferred earnings overseas while falsely reporting them under victims' names to the IRS. Earlier this month, the U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on North Korean and Russian nationals for aiding DPRK crypto infiltration schemes.
The case highlights the risks associated with remote work and cybersecurity, paving the way for investigations into fraudulent schemes and protecting national security.
