US Defence Contractor Admits Lending His Identity to North Korean Remote Worker Scheme

John Allen Kurrle Jr., a 62-year-old defence contractor with top secret security clearance, has pleaded guilty to aiding North Korea's remote worker scheme, the US Justice Department said. Court records show he allowed co-conspirators to use his identity and clearance in at least 88 job applications at US-based companies, often with government contractors. The applications led to nine job offers between June and October 2025, with salary ranges of $120,000 to $190,000.

The scheme had limited success. The longest and most lucrative job lasted about three weeks and paid $4,800. In one case, his identity was used to get a software engineer role at a California company working on a generative AI project for a component of the US military. Kurrle received laptops shipped by multiple victim companies at his Virginia home, which let co-conspirators access them remotely from outside the United States.

That case unravelled during a video call to verify employment eligibility. The company noticed the person on screen did not match Kurrle's age or physical characteristics, and ended the employment before any work on the military contract was done. Kurrle returned the laptop. He must pay restitution of about $2,200 for 32 hours of onboarding, plus the $4,800 from the other company. He also admitted using a third person's identity without consent. He does not dispute that the scheme likely benefited North Korea, but says he was unaware of the North Korean connection during his involvement.