More than 40 suspected 'laptop farms' in Texas allegedly generated over US$3 million for Pyongyang by deceiving US employers into hiring North Koreans. (File pic)WASHINGTON: Federal prosecutors said Tuesday they had made two arrests and seized more than 180 computers to dismantle an alleged North Korean scheme to profit from US-based remote IT work.
In a statement, the department of justice said it had searched "more than 40 suspected 'laptop farms' across Texas" that generated more than US$3 million for Pyongyang by deceiving US employers into hiring North Koreans.
Alongside the two Americans arrested in Ohio and Pennsylvania on money laundering and identity theft charges, authorities charged 14 others in Operation Lonestar Roundup, 10 of whom are based in China.
