Screenshot of an X post by the U.S. Treasury Department (@USTreasury), Oct. 28, 2026: "Today, Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned 10 individuals and one entity for their roles in Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) government-run IT worker schemes that defraud U.S. businesses," with a link to Treasury's press release.
The Treasury Department announced the sanctions in this X post on Oct. 28, 2026. Screenshot: @USTreasury on X

WASHINGTON, Oct. 28, 2026 —

The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned 10 people and one organization on Wednesday, saying they help run North Korean government schemes that place information technology workers in jobs at U.S. and allied companies under false identities (Treasury release).

Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) says the regime "appropriates most of these workers' wages, generating hundreds of millions of dollars" for its weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs. It also says the workers have used their access to corporate networks to deploy malware and steal data.

"The North Korean regime continues targeting and exploiting American companies through fraudulent activities conducted by its overseas IT operatives, who weaponize sensitive data and extort businesses for substantial payments," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in the release.

Who was sanctioned

According to Treasury:

  • Vitold Viktorovich Obertas, who Treasury describes as a Russian intermediary for North Korean financial transactions. Treasury says he has carried out nearly $2 million in cryptocurrency conversions and at least $1.25 million in other currency transactions for North Korean officials since January 2025.
  • Kim Ki Hyok and Kim Hyo Dong, North Korean nationals Treasury says lead two separate Russia-based delegations of North Korean IT workers.
  • Ilya Aleksandrovich Boykov, a Russian national Treasury says exchanged and converted the equivalent of $3.5 million in cryptocurrency to support one of those groups.
  • The First Financial and Technical Development Center, which Treasury calls a North Korean-controlled entity in Russia, and six Russia-based North Korean IT workers Treasury says generated more than $750,000 for it since 2025.

Treasury says the action builds on a March 12, 2026, designation of a separate North Korean IT worker network, and that Australia and the European Union have also designated people and entities supporting North Korea's revenue generation this month.

What it means for businesses

Under the sanctions, any property the designated people and entity have in the United States, or in the control of U.S. persons, is blocked and must be reported to OFAC, and Americans are generally barred from doing business with them, Treasury says. Treasury points employers to joint advisories on North Korean IT workers from the State, Treasury and Justice departments and the FBI for steps to protect their networks.

Now you have the facts from the source. What you do with them is up to you.

Source: U.S. Department of the Treasury press release sb0669, Oct. 28, 2026.

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