Michael James Bostelle of Pennsylvania and Juan Cecilio Pena Carrillo of Texas were charged with wire fraud, money laundering and identity theft, and ten China based operators were also charged in the indictment. Prosecutors say US facilitators hosted company laptops at home and lent their names and personal information so the overseas workers appeared to be legitimate US based employees. The government has warned for years that North Korean workers use such jobs to raise money for Pyongyang and to gain access to company networks and data.
DOJ arrests two in North Korean laptop farm crackdown
The Justice Department said on Tuesday it arrested two Americans accused of helping North Korean IT workers use stolen identities to hold US jobs, and the FBI seized about 187 laptops and other devices from more than 40 Texas residences.
Why it matters: Prosecutors say the scheme reached more than 70 US companies, compromised 25 Americans' identities and generated at least $3 million for overseas workers, a scale that raises the vetting stakes for every employer hiring remote technology staff.
Data as of Tuesday, October 13, 2026. Reuters report opened and read in full, reporting the Justice Department announcement and the unsealed indictment; the charges are allegations and the defendants could not immediately be reached for comment, per Reuters. Developing item, 2 to 3 sentences by design.
Sources
- DOJ arrests two, seizes 187 devices in North Korean laptop farm crackdown in Texas · Reuters, via WNFL · 2026-10-13