Latest news with #MinhPhuongNgocVong
Time of India
29-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
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.
Time of India
29-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
This nail salon worker pulled off ₹8 crore scam with 13 IT jobs
In an age where remote work has become a way of life, one man managed to turn it into a cover for an international fraud. Hired by over a dozen tech firms, he was paid nearly a million dollars– without ever writing a single line of code. At first glance, Minh Phuong Ngoc Vong seemed like any other remote IT professional. But federal authorities say he was at the center of a sophisticated scheme that helped suspected North Korean operatives secretly work inside U.S.-based companies– and possibly even access sensitive government systems. Multiple jobs, zero experience As quoted by Moneycontrol, Fortune reported that between 2021 and 2024, Vong allegedly held remote IT positions at 13 different companies across the U.S., earning nearly $970,000 for roles he wasn't qualified to perform, because he wasn't the one actually doing the work. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like [Click Here] - 2025 Top Trending Search - Local network access Esseps Learn More Undo According to the report, the software tasks assigned to Vong were actually being carried out by foreign developers believed to be working on behalf of the North Korean regime. They accessed company systems using Vong's credentials while operating from overseas, often through China. A fake resume built for fraud To get hired, Vong allegedly used fake resumes that presented him as a senior software engineer with over a decade of experience and a degree from a U.S. university. Some resumes even falsely claimed he had government-level security clearance. In reality, Vong had no background in software. He worked at a nail salon and had no formal qualifications in tech– yet he managed to get past multiple rounds of interviews and background checks at major firms. A gaming app contact that led to an international operation According to the report, authorities say the scam began when Vong was contacted by a person using the name 'William James' through a mobile game chat. This individual offered him a chance to earn money by applying for remote IT jobs and handing over system access once hired. As Fortune reported, investigators believe 'James' is a North Korean national who coordinated with Vong to build fake job applications, bypass hiring processes, and route earnings back to the regime. Vong's devices and online accounts were then used by developers working from China to gain real-time access to U.S. networks. One mismatched screenshot raised the alarm According to the report, the fraud came to light when one employer noticed something unusual. A visual identity check during the hiring process revealed inconsistencies between screenshots of Vong from different interview stages. This prompted internal verification, and when the ID didn't match the earlier interviews, the case was flagged. That single red flag led to a broader federal investigation, uncovering the entire operation. Serious national security concerns Some of the companies Vong worked for were subcontractors on government-linked projects , including ones tied to the Federal Aviation Administration. This has raised alarms about the risk of unauthorized access to critical systems. As per the report, federal officials believe this scheme is part of a broader strategy by North Korea to secretly place its citizens into overseas tech jobs, not only to generate revenue for the state, but potentially to extract sensitive information. Remote work, real threats This case is a significant reminder of how remote hiring can be exploited if proper checks aren't in place. As more companies continue to hire globally, cybersecurity experts are urging tighter protocols, especially when employees have access to confidential or government-related data.
Hindustan Times
29-04-2025
- Hindustan Times
Nail salon worker with no degree landed 13 IT jobs, made over ₹8 crore in salary
A 40-year-old man from Maryland has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud after allegedly holding 13 remote IT jobs—despite having no formal education or experience in software development. Over three years, Minh Phuong Ngoc Vong made more than $970,000 (approximately ₹8.26 crore) by outsourcing his work to North Korean operatives, according to Fortune. Vong, who previously worked in a nail salon, managed to deceive multiple US companies including government agencies into hiring him. As part of his guilty plea, he admitted to allowing North Korean nationals, operating out of China, to pose as him and perform highly sensitive IT work remotely. Vong told the FBI that he was initially approached by someone calling himself "William James" on a gaming app. "James" offered to help Vong make money legally through remote IT jobs. He and his associates fabricated a resume for Vong, claiming he had a degree from the University of Hawaii, 16 years of experience as a software developer, and had held a secret-level security clearance. One of the positions Vong fraudulently secured was on a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) contract that involved monitoring aviation assets mid-flight in the US. After being hired, Vong was issued a MacBook Pro and a Personal Identity Verification card, granting him access to secure government systems and facilities. Instead of doing the job himself, Vong installed remote-access software on the FAA-issued laptop, which allowed individuals in China to log in and work under his identity. These operatives even attended Zoom meetings on Vong's behalf, discussing task lists and pretending to be him in daily team updates. The US Department of Justice revealed that Vong was part of a broader scheme where North Korean operatives gained access to US remote jobs through American citizens, funneling earnings back to North Korea's regime. The elaborate fraud spanned from 2021 to 2024 and Vong now faces up to 20 years in prison. (Also read: Chinese techie lives in his car for 4 years despite owning a four-storey house)
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Yahoo
Nail salon employee pleads guilty after holding 13 remote IT jobs worked by developers in China
Minh Phuong Ngoc Vong, 40, of Bowie, Maryland will be sentenced in August after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud this month. Vong's guilty plea is the latest intrigue in what authorities say is a vast fake IT worker scheme that funds North Korea's illegal nuclear weapons and ballistic missile program. Authorities alleged Vong essentially rented out his U.S. identity to developers based in China who used it to get more than a dozen remote tech jobs, some of which involved contract work for sensitive government agencies. A 40-year-old Maryland man is facing decades in prison after he allegedly worked with foreign nationals in China to get remote work IT jobs with at least 13 different U.S. companies between 2021 and 2024. The jobs paid him more than $970,000 in salary for software development tasks that were actually performed by operatives authorities allege are North Korean and working out of a post in Shenyang, China, according to the Department of Justice. The China-based developers used the company IT jobs, some of which involved contracting out software services to U.S. government agencies like the Federal Aviation Administration, to get access to highly sensitive government systems that they logged into from overseas, authorities said. According to the Department of Justice, the Maryland man's scheme is part of a vast fraud operation in which trained North Korean nationals work with American facilitators to fraudulently obtain remote-work IT jobs under various identities, do the work from Russia or China, and then illegally remit their salaries to Kim Jong Un, authoritarian leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). There have been dozens of indictments in the conspiracy, including Americans who have pleaded guilty to hosting computer farms, where they keep dozens of company-issued laptops in their homes for a fee so that it appears the work is being done in the U.S. The UN has estimated the scheme generates revenues between $250 million and $600 million each year and funds North Korea's illegal nuclear weapons program. The FBI, State Department, and Department of Justice say thousands of DPRK IT workers have been hired for positions at hundreds of Fortune 500 companies in recent years. In the case involving Maryland man Minh Phuong Ngoc Vong, the DOJ claims he worked in league with developers in China, including one who called himself 'William James.' Court records show authorities believed James and other John Does in the scheme are natives of North Korea. Vong allegedly told an FBI agent 'William' approached him through a cell phone video game app and told Vong he could 'legally' make money by getting development jobs and then giving William his computer access credentials. According to the DOJ and court documents, Vong allegedly let James and the other unnamed conspirators draw up a fraudulent resume for him saying he had a degree from the University of Hawaii, 16 years of experience as a software developer, and had previously maintained a secret-level security clearance. The DOJ said Vong, who worked in a nail and spa salon, had neither a degree nor did he have experience in development. At one of the 13 jobs, someone who identified himself as Vong allegedly joined an online interview with a senior software developer who recommended he get the job and took a screenshot of him during the meeting. The CEO of the Virginia-based company later hired him after a successful final interview in which Vong allegedly showed his Maryland driver's license and U.S. passport to confirm his identity, and the company screenshotted Vong a second time holding up the documents. (Court records show authorities believe these screen grabs are of two different people—one who is allegedly a North Korean IT worker posing as Vong, and another who is the real Vong from Maryland holding his license and passport.) The company set Vong to work on an FAA contract that involved an application monitoring aviation assets in flight in the U.S, according to court records. The software is used by government agencies such as the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, and Secret Service. The Virginia company shipped Vong a MacBook Pro laptop with administrative rights to download software and the FAA let Vong have a Personal Identity Verification card to get him into government facilities and systems, court records show. Vong allegedly installed remote access software on the company device so that James and his cohort could use it from China. Between March and July in 2023, the Virginia company paid Vong more than $28,000 while the work was performed by James and other unknown people, the DOJ said. During his time there, someone known as Vong attended Zoom meetings for work and spoke to his team about his task list at a daily meeting. As part of his guilty plea, Vong admitted the Virginia job was only one among 13 different companies that hired him between 2021 and 2024. Several did contract work for the U.S. government, in addition to the FAA. Vong got fired by the Virginia company after it submitted his information to the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency for a secret clearance and found out he might have another job. After he was fired, the CEO showed Vong's picture to the senior developer who initially recommended him. The developer told the CEO that the individual he called "Vong" in the photo wasn't the same "Vong" he had initially interviewed and screenshotted. He also wasn't the person who participated in daily virtual meetings and did work. Vong pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and is facing 20 years in prison. Reached by phone, Vong declined to comment. Michael "Barni" Barnhart, principal insider risk investigator at Dtex Systems, told Fortune in a statement the continued efforts by U.S. law enforcement to expose and disrupt the North Korean IT worker operations and the facilitators who enable them are positive advancements. "These indictments are another critical step in thwarting adversarial operations," said Barnhart in the statement. Still, Barnhart said his group has directly observed IT workers trying to get other highly sensitive jobs, including positions with clearance within the U.S. government and third-party contractors for federal agencies. Furthermore, in a report published this month, Google's Threat Intelligence Group revealed the scheme is expanding, and one DPRK worker late last year operated at least 12 personas across Europe and the U.S., and was looking for more jobs in European defense and with government contractors. Other investigations found fake IT worker identities seeking jobs in Germany and Portugal, according to the latest report. 'Even if these actors are primarily financially motivated, the risk they pose to critical infrastructure is enormous,' John Hultquist, chief analyst at Google's Threat Intelligence Group, told Fortune. 'This scheme has become so widespread that targeting of these organizations is almost inevitable. Given their connection to the intelligence services, that kind of access could be a nightmare.' The FBI's Baltimore office is investigating the case. This story was originally featured on
