Arizona Woman Sentenced for $17M IT Worker Fraud Aiding North Korea

Arizona resident Christina Marie Chapman has been sentenced to 102 months in prison for her role in a sophisticated scheme that funneled over $17 million to North Korean IT workers using stolen identities. The 50-year-old Litchfield Park woman pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges involving wire fraud, money laundering, and identity theft in February.

The case highlights the DPRK's increasingly advanced cybercrime capabilities, which have become a global security concern. Chapman's operation exploited more than 300 U.S. companies and government agencies while compromising dozens of American citizens' identities.

Beyond the prison term, Judge Randolph D. Moss ordered three years of supervised release, forfeiture of $284,555.92 intended for North Korean workers, and an additional $176,850 penalty. "This scheme directly funded the DPRK regime while undermining American corporate and government security," noted Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti.