A former Google software developer has been charged with theft of trade secrets. This 38-year-old Chinese national and a California resident is said to have leaked information about artificial intelligence (AI) from Google to two China-based tech companies for which he was working covertly.
Linwei Ding (aka Leon Ding) “transferred sensitive Google trade secrets and other confidential information from Google’s network to his personal account while secretly affiliating himself with PRC-based companies in the AI industry,” the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) said.
According to BBC, this former Google engineer who was arrested on March 6, 2024 reportedly stole from Google more than 500 confidential files containing artificial intelligence (AI) trade secrets with a view to passing them on to two China-based tech companies.
The theft happened from May 21, 2022, until May 2, 2023. He allegedly periodically uploaded information from Google’s network to a personal Google account. Meanwhile, the suspect was reportedly working for a Chinese tech startup as Chief Technology Officer.
He is also alleged to have started in China his own tech firm which focuses on AI and machine learning.
Ding has been charged with four counts of theft of trade secrets. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine for each count.
