US man charged for acting as front for North Korean developers in $970,000 IT scam
A US-based man is facing decades of jail time for allegedly working with China-based foreign nationals to fraudulently obtain remote IT jobs with American companies. The Department of Justice (DoJ) claims that the 40-year-old Maryland resident,
Minh Phuong Ngoc Vong
, secured remote IT jobs with at least 13 US companies between 2021 and 2024 in a scheme where he received over $970,000 in salary for software development tasks.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
The DoJ alleged that these tasks were actually performed by operatives in Shenyang, China, who are said to be North Korean. The China-based developers then used these company IT jobs to gain access to sensitive US government systems from overseas. Some of these jobs involved contracting out software services to agencies like the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
The DoJ has also claimed that this scheme is part of a larger fraud operation.
As per the agency, trained North Korean nationals collaborate with American facilitators to fraudulently obtain remote IT jobs under various identities in this operation. The DoJ also stated that the work is conducted from Russia or China, and the illegally obtained salaries are then remitted to
, the leader of North Korea.
In this case, several Americans have also been indicted for running 'computer farms,' where company-issued laptops were hosted domestically for a fee to mask North Korean involvement.
The UN estimates the scheme brings in $250–$600 million annually, funding North Korea's illicit nuclear program. US authorities even claimed that thousands of DPRK IT workers have been placed in hundreds of Fortune 500 companies in recent years.
What US DoJ said about Minh Phuong Ngoc Vong
During the trial, Vong admitted plotting with China- and North Korea-linked developers to fraudulently land IT contracts at US companies. Posing as a seasoned software engineer, he submitted a fake résume—claiming a University of Hawaii degree, 16 years' experience, and secret-clearance credentials—and secured roles at 13 firms, including a Virginia contractor on an FAA project used by multiple federal agencies.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
According to the DOJ, Vong—who was employed at a nail and spa salon—possessed neither a degree nor any development experience.
Vong received a company-issued MacBook Pro and PIV card, then installed remote-access software so his overseas co-conspirators could do the work; between March and July 2023 alone, he was paid over $28,000. He has pleaded guilty to wire-fraud conspiracy and faces up to 20 years in prison.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Economic Times
3 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Auto stocks in focus as U.S.-China trade deal eases rare earth supply concerns
Auto stocks are likely to be in the spotlight today after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a new trade agreement with China, aimed at securing a stable supply of rare earth minerals and full magnets, critical components in the automotive industry, especially for electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid systems. ADVERTISEMENT According to the deal, a 55% tariff structure will apply to Chinese imports, while China will impose a 10% tariff on U.S. goods. The deal, which was concluded after two days of talks in London, includes a commitment from China to supply the U.S. with essential magnets and rare earths used in EV motors, batteries, sensors, and high-performance braking systems. In return, the U.S. will ease educational visa access for Chinese students. 'President XI and I are going to work closely together to open up China to American Trade. This would be a great WIN for both countries!!!,' Donald Trump the trade agreement signals a de-escalation in trade tensions between the world's two largest economies and is being viewed as a positive trigger for capital goods, auto, and electronics sectors earths are used in electronics, defence tools, and electric vehicles. Trump's tariff decisions had already caused chaos in global trade. Companies lost billions due to high tariffs and confusion at ports. ADVERTISEMENT Under the new agreement, China has pledged to supply rare earth elements and 'full magnets' upfront, aiming to restore access to materials essential for U.S. automotive, electronics, and defence sectors. Also read: Nifty to climb new high by Sept-Oct; bullish on 3 stocks now: Dharmesh Shah ADVERTISEMENT While the deal directly affects U.S.-China trade, India may stand to gain from reduced input volatility, better raw material access, and improved global market sentiment. For Indian automakers, it's a geopolitical tailwind for both EV growth and export competitiveness. (Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times) ADVERTISEMENT (You can now subscribe to our ETMarkets WhatsApp channel)
Hindustan Times
4 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Bizman freed in hijacking case booked for cheating
MUMBAI: A businessman, acquitted in a hijacking case two years ago, has been booked for allegedly defrauding a jeweller of gold, silver and diamonds valued at ₹12.77 crore. Birju Salla, 45, was the first person to be convicted by a special NIA court in Ahmedabad under the Anti-Hijacking Act, 2016, for placing a chit with a threat written on it in the toilet of an aircraft on a domestic flight. His conviction was, however, set aside by the Gujarat High Court in August 2023. After a little over a year, Salla decided to pursue his family jewellery business. So he took 5,947 grams of gold, 18,965 grams of silver and diamonds from a Zaveri Bazar-based jeweller, to sell them. There's a catch, though. Salla had not yet paid the jeweller for the gold, silver and diamonds, said an officer with the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police. The EOW has registered the case based on a complaint from the jeweller, Shailesh Jain, 56, a Marine Drive resident who runs a jewellery business from Zaveri Bazaar. 'The complainant knew Birju Salla and his family, as he ran his jewellery manufacturing unit from a property owned by the Salla family in Tardeo. The Salla family owned a jewellery store, which the complainant had taken on rent,' said a police officer. On November 18, 2024, Salla told Jain that he had a customer who wanted antique, handmade jewellery, and that he would take the jewellery from Jain and pay based on 'approval vouchers' – which meant he would pay for what sold and return the rest, said an officer with the EOW. He added that the accused chose gold ornaments, diamonds and silver utensils valued at around ₹14 crore. 'An approval voucher was signed and Jain was given some cheques, which would have to be deposited after the valuables were sold. Later, Salla returned various items of jewellery, utensils and diamonds to Jain,' said the police officer. After that, Salla made a slew of excuses on the money he still owed Jain. He also urged Jain to take some of the money from his relatives, who did not respond to phone calls from Jain. 'The complainant could not contact Salla and therefore called his father, who told him that his son had left home and he had no idea where he was. Salla's father also lodged a non-cognisable complaint against Jain with the Gamdevi police,' said an EOW official. Jain, who was aware of Salla's notorious claim to fame, sensed he had been cheated. He knew that Salla had spent time in jail on hijacking charges and had been arrested in 2017, for placing a note with a threatening message written on it inside the lavatory of a Jet Airways Mumbai-Delhi flight. Salla was convicted under the Anti-Hijacking Act, 2016, and awarded a life sentence by a special NIA court in 2019. But his conviction was set aside by the Gujarat High Court in August 2023. Now Salla had made off with Jain's jewellery. A case has been registered against Salla under sections 318 (cheating) and 316 (criminal breach of trust) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
Time of India
11 minutes ago
- Time of India
Indian firms target overseas assets to fast-track semiconductor ambitions
Strategic overseas acquisitions by India's nascent semiconductor companies are set to emerge as a key enabler for the country's ambitions in chip manufacturing and assembly, ensuring access to proprietary expertise, precision equipment, and critical intellectual property, experts told firms including Tata Electronics and L&T Semiconductor Technologies (LTSCT) have recently made significant moves to acquire foreign assets even as they invest in greenfield facilities within the acquisitions bring experienced engineering teams and operational know-how, which are essential for upskilling local workforces and establishing robust training pipelines, explained Kunal Chaudhary, partner and co-leader, inbound investment group, at EY India. LTSCT and Kaynes Semicon are jointly acquiring the power modules business of Fujitsu General Electronics, based in Japan, while opto-semiconductor maker Polymatech last year acquired US-based semiconductor equipment provider Nisene Technology Group to build an integrated chip manufacturing business. Tata Electronics is exploring takeovers of semiconductor fabrication and outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) facilities in Malaysia. Chaudhary said while India has already built a strong presence in chip design, moving into OSAT — a high-margin segment that includes advanced packaging and assembly — will be key to climbing the value chain. With advanced packaging technologies becoming critical to semiconductor innovation, India's entry into this space could enhance its global positioning, he said. After Kaynes and LTSCT announced acquisition of Fujitsu General's power modules business for Rs 118.34 crore on Monday, Kaynes CEO Raghu Panicker said the deal opens up new avenues for advanced semiconductor packaging excellence. 'This move strengthens Kaynes' OSAT capabilities, while aligning with our long-term strategy of supporting global original equipment manufacturers through best-in-class technology and scalable infrastructure,' he told ET. Kaynes is one of the four companies under the India Semiconductor Mission 1.0 building OSATs in the country, while Larsen & Toubro has invested more than $300 million to create its fabless chip company LTSCT. ET on June 3 reported that Tata Electronics is in talks with several global semiconductor companies to acquire a fabrication or OSAT plant in Malaysia. The move is aimed at bolstering the Tata Group company's knowledge and talent base ahead of its ambitious foray into semiconductor fab, assembly and packaging in India. 'Most acquisitions and partnerships at the moment are really about two things: gaining access to trained talent – essentially acqui-hires – and jump-starting work on cutting-edge technologies,' said Prithvideep Singh, general manager at Mohali-based Continental Device India Ltd (CDIL) that has a partnership with German semiconductor manufacturer Infineon Technologies. 'Gaining access to know-how is only half the battle,' he said. 'Transferring it to Indian operations and building capability within local teams…demand years of groundwork, deep technical maturity, and process discipline.' Infineon supplies high performance silicon wafers, and CDIL packages and distributes advanced power semiconductors like MOSFETs and modules specifically tailored for the Indian market, including for electric vehicles and renewables. 'All the JVs and strategic partnerships are a result of the need for Indian entities to build their core competency with best in class proven technology and manufacturing processes,' said Neil Shah, cofounder and vice-president, research, at Counterpoint Research. He noted that matured nodes foundry and back-end packaging OSAT/ATMP are low hanging opportunities for new entrants. 'Building fabs for advanced nodes is still a distant dream for Indian enterprises as there are just three big players like TSMC, the leader, and Samsung and Intel, which are still struggling versus TSMC,' Shah said. 'So, high value fab will take time if at all one of them decides to set up in India in future, if the other ecosystems develop handsomely,' he explained. Biswajeet Mahapatra, principal analyst at Forrester, said acquiring assets of foreign entities allows Indian companies to access advanced technologies like wafer-level packaging, 2.5D/3D integration, and chiplet-based designs, which are critical for modern semiconductors. By leveraging foreign expertise and infrastructure, Indian companies can reduce reliance on imports for high-end packaging solutions and meet the growing demand from global OEMs like Apple and Intel, he explained. For the broader ecosystem, overseas acquisitions and partnerships can help bridge critical capability gaps. Given the current talent crunch in India, they offer a smart and often necessary path for companies entering the sector, experts said. But the real challenge lies in how effectively that know-how is embedded into Indian operations and scaled with consistency and quality, they added.
