Bowie Man Sentenced In Scheme Using Overseas Workers

BOWIE, MD — A Bowie man has been sentenced to 15 months in prison for his role in a wire fraud scheme where he fraudulently obtained remote IT positions at more than a dozen U.S. companies, then allowed developers based in China to do the work, some of which happened at sensitive government agencies.

Minh Phuong Ngoc Vong, 41, will follow his time in prison with three years of supervised release, which includes six months of home confinement.

Between 2021 and 2024, Vong received more than $970,000 in salary for completing software development projects that instead were performed by others based in China, including William James. According to court documents, Vong knew that James was located in China. Communication between Vong and James indicated that he likely is a North Korean national working to generate revenue for the North Korean government.

China-based developers used the company IT jobs, some of which involved contracting out software services to U.S. government agencies like the Federal Aviation Administration, to gain access to highly sensitive government systems that they logged on to from overseas, authorities said. According to the Department of Justice, Vong's scheme using the trained North Korean nationals to do the work from Russia or China, and then illegally remit their salaries to Kim Jong Un, authoritarian leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Vong used a fake resume indicating he had a college degree from the University of Hawaii and 16 years of experience as a software developer in order to be hired. According to Forbes, he actually worked in a nail and spa salon.

“This prosecution shows that we, along with our law-enforcement partners, are serious about holding accountable individuals who endanger our nation,” Hayes said. “By conspiring with a foreign national to infiltrate U.S. companies, Mr. Vong put American businesses, their employees and our broader economic and national security at risk. Our office will zealously pursue anyone who undermines the integrity of U.S. systems for personal gain.”

According to Forbes, this type of scheme isn't uncommon. The UN has estimated that it generates revenues between $250 million and $600 million each year and funds North Korea’s illegal nuclear weapons program.

“Vong is yet another subject being held accountable for using false identities on behalf of North Korea to infiltrate American companies,” Paul added. “His crimes threaten our economic and national security. I’m proud of the work FBI Baltimore has done to ensure that anyone who seeks to steal from or endanger the United States is brought to justice.”