Bobbie Johnson

They're taking nearly all of that as profit, right? And it's going straight back into military programs. It's going straight back into Kim Jong-un's slush fund. It's going back into the country. And there are many of these groups running different scams.

They're taking nearly all of that as profit, right? And it's going straight back into military programs. It's going straight back into Kim Jong-un's slush fund. It's going back into the country. And there are many of these groups running different scams.

They're taking nearly all of that as profit, right? And it's going straight back into military programs. It's going straight back into Kim Jong-un's slush fund. It's going back into the country. And there are many of these groups running different scams.

Scale-wise, you know, there's been a lot of activity in the U.S., but folks I spoke to are saying that they're seeing a real expansion of activity in Europe, in Japan and elsewhere. So this has now become a very lucrative scheme across the board for the North Koreans.

Scale-wise, you know, there's been a lot of activity in the U.S., but folks I spoke to are saying that they're seeing a real expansion of activity in Europe, in Japan and elsewhere. So this has now become a very lucrative scheme across the board for the North Koreans.

Scale-wise, you know, there's been a lot of activity in the U.S., but folks I spoke to are saying that they're seeing a real expansion of activity in Europe, in Japan and elsewhere. So this has now become a very lucrative scheme across the board for the North Koreans.

Yeah, this is really the tough thing in these cases because if you're smart enough to spot it before it happens to you, kind of no crime has been really enacted upon you or something that's not going to lead to a prosecution.

Yeah, this is really the tough thing in these cases because if you're smart enough to spot it before it happens to you, kind of no crime has been really enacted upon you or something that's not going to lead to a prosecution.

Yeah, this is really the tough thing in these cases because if you're smart enough to spot it before it happens to you, kind of no crime has been really enacted upon you or something that's not going to lead to a prosecution.

But in any case, it's really hard to prosecute these cases because for the most part, the worst offenders are based in a country that the American courts can't extradite from. So we're not going to pull someone out of China or Russia. So that means the cases generally focus on the stolen identities and the accomplices.

But in any case, it's really hard to prosecute these cases because for the most part, the worst offenders are based in a country that the American courts can't extradite from. So we're not going to pull someone out of China or Russia. So that means the cases generally focus on the stolen identities and the accomplices.

But in any case, it's really hard to prosecute these cases because for the most part, the worst offenders are based in a country that the American courts can't extradite from. So we're not going to pull someone out of China or Russia. So that means the cases generally focus on the stolen identities and the accomplices.

The real problem underneath all of this is that the political or economic solutions that you think would be possible just aren't really effective, right? You can't enact sanctions against North Korea for this because The sanctions already enacted against North Korea are so punitive.

The real problem underneath all of this is that the political or economic solutions that you think would be possible just aren't really effective, right? You can't enact sanctions against North Korea for this because The sanctions already enacted against North Korea are so punitive.

The real problem underneath all of this is that the political or economic solutions that you think would be possible just aren't really effective, right? You can't enact sanctions against North Korea for this because The sanctions already enacted against North Korea are so punitive.

One of the reasons that these guys are doing this in the first place is because legal trade is basically zero because the country is being punished rightly for its rogue nuclear weapons program. So for now, from the industry and law enforcement folks I spoke to, your best remedy is to try and be aware of it and prevent it. happening to you. And that's tough.

One of the reasons that these guys are doing this in the first place is because legal trade is basically zero because the country is being punished rightly for its rogue nuclear weapons program. So for now, from the industry and law enforcement folks I spoke to, your best remedy is to try and be aware of it and prevent it. happening to you. And that's tough.

One of the reasons that these guys are doing this in the first place is because legal trade is basically zero because the country is being punished rightly for its rogue nuclear weapons program. So for now, from the industry and law enforcement folks I spoke to, your best remedy is to try and be aware of it and prevent it. happening to you. And that's tough.

And it's a big leap to go from saying, you know, there's something fishy going on with this applicant to, I believe this applicant may be working for the North Korean government. That's like, that's a wild jump to make. But at least if you're looking for things, looking for those red flags, or kind of looking for that circumstantial evidence, then you can protect yourself from from being a victim.

And it's a big leap to go from saying, you know, there's something fishy going on with this applicant to, I believe this applicant may be working for the North Korean government. That's like, that's a wild jump to make. But at least if you're looking for things, looking for those red flags, or kind of looking for that circumstantial evidence, then you can protect yourself from from being a victim.