A resident of San Jose, California on Monday pleaded guilty to one count of theft of trade secrets, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. At a federal court in Los Angeles, Chenguang Gong, age 59, admitted to transferring more than 3,600 files from his employer to personal storage devices while he worked there in the spring of 2023. Gong is a citizen of both the United States and China, according to the DOJ, but China’s official policy is not to legally recognize dual citizenship. Officials scheduled Gong’s sentencing for Sept. 29. He faces up to a decade in federal prison.
The files included blueprints for infrared sensors to detect nuclear missile launches, and sensors for U.S. military aircraft to detect and take countermeasures against heat-seeking missiles, according to the department. Gong worked for several months as a design manager for a Los Angeles research and development company that was not named in government documents. Then, he accepted a job at the company’s main competitor, according to the DOJ. His actions caused an estimated economic loss of more than $3.5 million, and he is currently free on $1.75 million bond, according to the Justice Department.
What else did authorities learn about Gong? Many of the files Gong stole contained trade secrets related to the development of sensors capable of detecting stealth or low-observable targets, the Department of Justice said. Between 2014 and 2022, Gong reportedly submitted applications to talent programs administered by the Chinese government while employed by major technology companies in the United States, according to the DOJ. During that time, he sent several Chinese companies proposals to develop technologies similar to those produced by his employers. Gong also visited China more than once to seek funding to develop technologies, according to the department.
Dig deeper: Read Christina Grube’s report about China using Cuba for suspected espionage.
