The podcast "The Journal" discusses how an American woman, Christina Chapman, became involved in a multi-million dollar fraud scheme orchestrated by North Korea. Chapman, initially struggling financially, was recruited via LinkedIn to be a "laptop farmer," setting up and managing laptops for North Korean IT workers who had obtained remote jobs in the U.S. under false identities. These workers' paychecks were funneled to the North Korean regime, potentially funding their nuclear weapons program. Chapman's role expanded to include HR and tech support for these workers, earning her a percentage of their income, which significantly improved her lifestyle until the FBI discovered and shut down the operation. The podcast also explores the broader issue of North Korean scammers infiltrating various industries and the challenges companies face in preventing such schemes, suggesting a return to in-person work as one possible solution.
