Season 2 coming June 9. American companies are being infiltrated—not by hackers breaking in, but by workers. Thousands of North Korean operatives are applying to jobs across the U.S.—and getting them. They are embedding themselves at Fortune 500 companies. Government agencies. Critical infrastructure. Even the firms tasked with stopping this threat. To Catch a Thief: North Korea On Our Payroll is a first-of-its-kind audio documentary exposing this global labor pipeline—one that is quietly funneling hundreds of millions of dollars a year back to the regime, and its nuclear weapons program. Host Nicole Perlroth, bestselling author and former lead cybersecurity and digital espionage reporter for The New York Times, takes listeners inside this hidden network—from a rare, inside look at a North Korean IT worker on the job, to interviews with defectors who escaped it, to knocking on the doors of Americans hosting “laptop farms” on North Korea's behalf. Along the way, the series reveals how this playbook is creating a hiring freeze for American workers, in a challenging job market. And how it has metastasized—adopted by cybercriminal groups and fraud networks around the world—blurring the line between nation-state espionage and organized crime. To Catch a Thief is co-produced by Nicole Perlroth and Rubrik in partnership with Pod People. To Catch a Thief was written and produced by Nicole Perlroth, along with Khrista Rypl, Rebecca Chaisson, TJ Raphaël, Krissy Clark and Sam Gebauer. Additional thanks to Allie Pinel, Fendall Fulton, Eunice Park, Cai Lee, and Aimee Machado. Editing and Sound Design by Erica Huang. Graphics and design by the John & Jane Agency.

To Catch a Thief: North Korea On Our Payroll

Spotify

Apple

Amazon

Youtube Music

CastBox

Pocket Casts

Overcast

Podcast Addict

Season 2 coming June 9. American companies are being infiltrated—not by hackers breaking in, but by workers.  Thousands of North Korean operatives are applying to jobs across the U.S.—and getting them. They are embedding themselves at Fortune 500 companies. Government agencies. Critical infrastructure. Even the firms tasked with stopping this threat. To Catch a Thief: North Korea On Our Payroll is a first-of-its-kind audio documentary exposing this global labor pipeline—one that is quietly funneling hundreds of millions of dollars a year back to the regime, and its nuclear weapons program.  Host Nicole Perlroth, bestselling author and former lead cybersecurity and digital espionage reporter for The New York Times, takes listeners inside this hidden network—from a rare, inside look at a North Korean IT worker on the job, to interviews with defectors who escaped it, to knocking on the doors of Americans hosting “laptop farms” on North Korea's behalf. Along the way, the series reveals how this playbook is creating a hiring freeze for American workers, in a challenging job market. And how it has metastasized—adopted by cybercriminal groups and fraud networks around the world—blurring the line between nation-state espionage and organized crime. To Catch a Thief is co-produced by Nicole Perlroth and Rubrik in partnership with Pod People.  To Catch a Thief was written and produced by Nicole Perlroth, along with Khrista Rypl, Rebecca Chaisson, TJ Raphaël, Krissy Clark and Sam Gebauer. Additional thanks to Allie Pinel, Fendall Fulton, Eunice Park, Cai Lee, and Aimee Machado. Editing and Sound Design by Erica Huang. Graphics and design by the John & Jane Agency. 

To Catch a Thief: North Korea On Our Payroll

All episodes