DOJ Exposes Alleged Hiring Fraud
Amazon Chief Security Officer Stephen Schmidt reported the company has blocked more than 1,800 job applications from suspected North Korean operatives since April 2024. Schmidt said the company recorded a 27% quarterly increase in DPRK-linked submissions. Amazon reportedly used AI screening and manual checks to detect fraud involving fake or stolen identities.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) uncovered related schemes, including 29 laptop farms and an Arizona-run operation that generated more than $17 million. The U.S., Japan and South Korea have called for closer cooperation to curb the hiring of North Korean IT workers.
Schmidt said, “Their objective is typically straightforward: get hired, get paid, and funnel wages back to fund the regime’s weapons programs. We’ve stopped more than 1,800 suspected DPRK operatives from joining since April 2024.”
Schmidt added, “We’ve detected 27% more DPRK-affiliated applications quarter over quarter this year. As one of the world’s largest employers, this gives us unique visibility into how these operations evolve and a responsibility to share what we’re learning.”
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