Overview

• Chapman pleaded guilty in February 2025 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.
• US District Judge Randolph Moss sentenced her in August to 102 months in prison and ordered her to forfeit $284,000 and pay a $176,000 fine.
• Between 2020 and 2023 Chapman operated “laptop farms” that validated stolen identities to place North Korean IT workers at hundreds of US companies, generating $17 million.
• Authorities seized 90 laptops during an October 2023 raid and are actively pursuing co-conspirators linked to parallel schemes that targeted dozens of firms.
• Cybersecurity experts warn that pandemic-driven remote hiring remains vulnerable to fraud and call for enhanced identity verification measures.