No degree, and over ₹8 crore earnings? The shocking remote work fraud that a 40-year-old man pulled off

A 40-year-old man from Maryland, US has pleaded guilty to pulling off a jaw-dropping wire fraud that fooled over 13 US companies, and even the US government agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The twist? Not only did the man, Minh Phoung Ngoc Vong land the jobs without any formal degree, and worked remotely, he earned nearly $970,000 (~ ₹8.26 crore) over a period of three years, by making others do the work.

Vong now faces up to 20 years of prison. The FBI Baltimore Field Office is investigating the case, stated the US Department of Justice's press release.

How did the 40-year-old pull off this scam?

The Maryland man teamed up with unknown individuals—one of whom went by the name John Doe, also known as William James, a foreign national based in Shenyang, China—to trick US companies into hiring him as a remote software developer.

Going by court documents, Minh Phoung Ngoc Vong's journey as a ‘software professional’ started when a fake resume—listing a college degree Vong never earned and 16 years of made-up software experience—landed him a job at a Virginia tech firm. That firm had a government contract with the FAA, giving Vong access to sensitive national defense software.

How Vong got access to FAA systems

Vong got through security checks using his real US passport and Maryland driver's license.

The Virginia-based company provided Vong with a laptop to use in connection with his employment, and the FAA authorised Vong to receive a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card to access government facilities and systems. Vong installed remote access software on the laptop to facilitate Doe’s access to it and conceal his location in China.

Vong made $970,000 through his job

In his statements, Vong admitted he had scammed more than just one company. Between 2021 and 2024, he and his co-conspirators duped at least 13 US firms, raking in over $970,000 (~ ₹8.26 crore) for software work that was secretly done by overseas operatives, including one in China.

Some of the companies that Vong had worked for, had contracts with US government agencies, who unknowingly granted Vong’s co-conspirators access to sensitive US government systems, which they accessed from China.