North Korea’s $800M Side Hustle: Hacking, Extortion, and Bad Haircuts

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Well, butter my biscuit and call me impressed-the U.S. Treasury is finally cracking down on North Korea’s criminal network, which has allegedly been running a more lucrative side hustle than most of us have day jobs. Apparently, they’ve been draining $800 million from businesses in data extortion schemes. Who knew Kim Jong-un was moonlighting as a cybercrime kingpin?

According to the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), six individuals and two firms are getting the financial equivalent of a time-out for helping North Korea (DPRK) swindle businesses out of a cool $800 million in 2024. And what’s the money for? Oh, just funding their weapons of mass destruction program. Casual.

Here’s the kicker: these North Korean operatives were basically living double lives. They’d infiltrate U.S. and allied businesses with fake documents and personas, land IT jobs, and then funnel the cash back to Pyongyang. It’s like The Office meets Mission: Impossible, but with fewer laughs and more malware.

Speaking of malware, some of these geniuses were injecting it into company networks to steal proprietary info. Because nothing says “international espionage” like a virus that also deletes your vacation photos.

The two firms getting the sanction treatment are Amnokgang Technology Development Company (North Korea’s IT sweatshop for overseas workers) and Quangvietdnbg International Services Company Limited (a Vietnam-based crypto laundromat for dirty money). Classy.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had this to say:

“The North Korean regime targets American companies through deceptive schemes carried out by its overseas IT operatives, who weaponize sensitive data and extort businesses for substantial payments.

Under President Trump’s leadership, Treasury will continue to follow the money in order to protect U.S. businesses from these malicious activities and ensure those responsible are held accountable.”

So, there you have it. North Korea’s been running a billion-dollar scam, and we’ve been busy arguing about TikTok. Priorities, people. Priorities.

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2026-03-23 10:21