The Department of Justice (DOJ) has leveled serious accusations against an engineer associated with a Los Angeles-based firm who allegedly stole trade secret technologies intended for the US government's use in space to detect nuclear missile launches and to monitor ballistic and hypersonic missiles.
According to CNBC, the person charged with theft of trade secrets was 57-year-old Chenguang Gong, residing in San Jose, California, who obtained US citizenship in 2011. Gong's arrest occurred on Tuesday, with a scheduled detention hearing on Wednesday.
"In his submissions to the Talent Programs, Gong proposed projects that mirrored his work for several of these companies, and repeatedly touted that his proposals would be useful to China's military and that China did not yet have the technologies he was proposing to develop himself or share with Chinese companies," the complaint reads.
'Talent Programs'
According to federal prosecutors, Gong's actions, if successful, could pose a significant threat to US national security, especially if the technology falls into the hands of foreign entities.
US Attorney for Los Angeles, Martin Estrada, highlighted Gong's previous attempts to share valuable information with the military of the People's Republic of China.
The criminal complaint asserts that from 2014 to 2022, Gong submitted numerous applications for Chinese government-run "talent programs," while employed by prominent US technology firms and a major defense contractor.
These programs are designed to attract skilled individuals from abroad to contribute to China's economic growth and military advancements.
The complaint suggests that Gong proposed projects to the Talent Programs that mirrored his work for US companies, emphasizing their potential benefits to China's military capabilities.
It also notes that Gong transferred over 3,600 digital files from his former workplace in Malibu, a research and development company, to personal storage devices between March and April last year.
More than half of these transfers occurred after Gong had accepted a position at a competitor firm, allegedly violating proprietary and export-controlled regulations.
Blueprints for Infrared Sensors
The technology allegedly stolen by Gong includes blueprints for advanced infrared sensors crucial for space-based systems to detect nuclear missile launches and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles.
It also contained blueprints for sensors designed to help US military aircraft detect incoming heat-seeking missiles and deploy countermeasures effectively.
During his tenure at the company, Gong was tasked with overseeing the design and advancement of readout integrated circuits for the company's sensors. Numerous files that were unlawfully obtained bore labels such as "proprietary," "for official use only," and "export controlled."
After searching his office following a network activity and finding a flash drive with files that had been transferred, Gong was terminated in late April.
He was also swiftly let go by another company, which hired him on May 1, after just nine days, due to revelations regarding his involvement in the transfer of files.
Further investigations revealed that investigators found some of the files Gong was accused of stealing at his home last year.
