DOJ and FBI Charge 14, Seize ~187 Devices in North Korean Remote IT Worker Schemes Hitting 70+ U.S. Companies

October 16, 2026

DOJ announced an indictment in the Northern District of Ohio, two arrests, and “Operation Lonestar Roundup,” in which the FBI searched more than 40 suspected “laptop farms” in Texas between September 21 and 25. DOJ says about 187 laptops and KVM devices were seized. KVMs are keyboard-video-mouse switches used to control several computers.

Sources

• U.S. Department of Justice, “Justice Department Announces Coordinated Actions to Combat North Korean Remote IT Worker Schemes Affecting More than 70 U.S. Companies” (October 13, 2026): https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-coordinated-actions-combat-north-korean-remote-it-worker