Two men from New Jersey received sentences exceeding seven years in prison for their roles in a scheme facilitating the employment of North Korean individuals in IT positions at over 100 U.S. companies. **Kejia Wang**, 42, was sentenced to nine years, while **Zhenxing Wang**, 39, received a nearly eight-year sentence. According to the **Department of Justice (DOJ)**, their operation generated more than $5 million for the government of North Korea. The two men were arrested and indicted last year on accusations of managing a 'laptop farm' operation. This involved managing hundreds of corporate devices and installing software that provided remote access to the North Koreans. "Today’s announcement sends a clear message: U.S. nationals who facilitate DPRK IT worker schemes and funnel revenue to North Korea will face FBI investigation and potential prison time,” said **FBI** Cyber Division Assistant Director Brett Leatherman. From 2021 to October 2024, the group allegedly stole the identities of approximately 80 U.S. citizens, providing them to North Koreans to gain employment at several Fortune 500 companies. Court documents indicate that the American companies incurred about $3 million in losses due to legal fees and network remediation costs. # Modus Operandi Kejia Wang and Zhenxing Wang established bank accounts and infrastructure to facilitate the operation. In 2023, Kejia Wang traveled to Shenyang and Dandong, near the North Korea-China border, to organize the scheme. Zhenxing Wang allegedly hosted laptops at his home, connecting them to "keyboard-video-mouse or ‘KVM’ switches,” allowing remote control by individuals overseas. Kejia Wang pleaded guilty in September to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, and identity theft. Zhenxing Wang pleaded guilty in January to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. Both will forfeit $600,000 paid by North Korea and serve three years of supervised release. Prosecutors have recovered about $400,000 of the total amount. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Eisenberg stated that the two men “enriched themselves by assisting North Korean actors in a fraudulent scheme to gain employment with U.S. companies.” U.S. Attorney Leah Foley added, “By operating so-called ‘laptop farms,’ these defendants enabled overseas actors to infiltrate U.S. businesses, access sensitive data and undermine our economic and national security.” # The China Connection and Data Theft During his 2023 trips to China, Kejia Wang met with a former classmate from North Korea. Prosecutors identified Kejia Wang as the “manager” of the scheme, supervising at least five others who hosted hundreds of computers at their homes. Zhenxing Wang was one of the five and was also involved in creating shell companies to legitimize the North Koreans' employment. Prosecutors noted that the North Korean IT workers stole sensitive data and source code from a California-based defense contractor developing artificial intelligence-powered equipment and technologies. The data was sensitive enough to qualify under **International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR)**, according to the DOJ. Investigators believe North Korean IT workers often grant access to more sophisticated government hackers who steal sensitive information, install malware, or take actions beyond IT work. Department of Defense investigator John Helsing stated that the sentences “should act as a deterrent to foreign individuals and entities attempting to illegally access and export critical defense information.” # Wider Investigation Zhenxing Wang and Kejia Wang were indicted alongside eight others, mostly based in North Korea or China. The Justice Department is offering a new $5 million reward for information on their whereabouts. The FBI and Defense Department seized dozens of websites in 2024 and 2025 linked to Kejia Wang’s and Zhenxing Wang’s shell companies. Multiple U.S. citizens, including an active duty member of the U.S. Army, have been indicted and convicted for facilitating North Korean IT workers by offering their identities or hosting laptop farms.