On October 13, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice announced the arrest of two Americans and the seizure of approximately 187 devices in an operation targeting North Korean remote IT workers who used fake identities to infiltrate U.S. companies. The operation involved over 70 U.S. employers and generated approximately $3 million in income for overseas IT workers. Investigations revealed that North Korean IT workers stole or forged U.S. citizen identities and, with the help of accomplices within the United States, established 'laptop farms' to remotely control devices and bypass corporate background checks. After receiving laptops issued by the companies, the accomplices allowed North Korean personnel to operate them remotely, making it appear as though they were working within the United States. Funds were transferred through cryptocurrencies and underground banking networks, ultimately flowing to sanctioned North Korean entities. U.S. law enforcement had already conducted multiple similar operations in 2025, including the seizure of 29 'laptop farms' across 16 states. However, North Korea continued to upgrade its fraud techniques using AI face-swapping, fake identities, and other methods, forming a systematic network for illegal labor dispatch. A United Nations report noted that such activities generate hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue for North Korea, severely circumventing international sanctions.