Linwei Ding worked “secretly for two companies based in China,” said the American Minister of Justice.
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A Chinese computer engineer working for Google in the United States has been arrested and charged with attempted theft of industrial secrets to the detriment of the internet giant, American Justice Minister Merrick Garland announced on Wednesday March 6.
Linwei Ding, aka Leon Ding, 38, was arrested Wednesday in Newark, California, the minister said in a statement. “We allege that the defendant stole trade secrets related to artificial intelligence from Google while secretly working for two companies based in China. We will vigorously protect sensitive technologies developed in America to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands “he added.
Targeted by four counts of theft of industrial secrets
According to the indictment, issued Tuesday and made public on Wednesday, Linwei Ding, hired by the American company in 2019, is being prosecuted for having clandestinely downloaded from May 2022 more than 500 files relating to Google searches in the field of artificial intelligence.
“These indictments are the latest example of the lengths to which subordinates of companies based in the People’s Republic of China are willing to go to steal American inventions.”said the director of the American Federal Police (FBI), Christopher Wray, quoted in the press release.
The computer engineer is targeted by four counts of theft of industrial secrets, each punishable by a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a fine of $250,000, specifies the Ministry of Justice.
