Last year, the Justice Department unveiled the Disruptive Technology Strike Force, aimed at defending American technology from hostile foreign entities. Since its inception, the initiative has made significant progress, apprehending more than a dozen individuals for attempting to steal sensitive trade secrets.
Officials revealed details about their latest arrest Feb. 7. Chenguang Gong, a U.S. citizen originally from China, is charged with stealing blueprints for advanced technology capable of detecting nuclear missile launches and tracking ballistic and hypersonic missiles.
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According to the Justice Department, Gong transferred over 3,600 files from his employer, a research and development company, to personal storage devices. However, two of the three devices used in the transfer have yet to be recovered.
Further investigations have brought to light Gong’s involvement in several “Talent Programs” sponsored by China, intended to recruit individuals with the expertise to advance China’s economic and military capabilities.
“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,” FBI agent Igor Neyman said of the case.
Gong has been released on a $2.5 million bond.
The Justice Department has also charged two Iranians for their alleged involvement in a scheme to export aerospace industry equipment from the U.S. to Iran. The accused, a father-son duo, currently reside in Iran and remain at large.
Tags: China, FBI, People’s Republic of China, Space Technology, Tech, Technology, U.S. Department of Justice
[LAUREN TAYLOR]
LAST YEAR – THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT LAUNCHED A ‘DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGY’ STRIKE FORCE – DESIGNED TO SHIELD AMERICAN TECH FROM HOSTILE FOREIGN ENEMIES.
RIGHT FROM THE START, IT MADE SIGNIFICANT HEADWAY, ARRESTING OVER A DOZEN INDIVIDUALS ACCUSED OF ATTEMPTING TO STEAL SENSITIVE TRADE SECRETS.
ON WEDNESDAY, THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SHED LIGHT ON ITS MOST RECENT ARREST.
CHENGUANG GONG — ORIGINALLY FROM CHINA AND NOW A U.S. CITIZEN — IS ACCUSED OF STEALING BLUEPRINTS OF SOPHISTICATED TECH THAT DETECTS NUCLEAR MISSILE LAUNCHES AND TRACKS BALLISTIC AND HYPERSONIC MISSILES.
THE DOJ SAYS GONG MOVED MORE THAN 36-HUNDRED FILES FROM THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COMPANY WHERE HE WORKED TO PERSONAL STORAGE DEVICES.
OFFICIALS SAY TWO OF THE THREE STORAGE DEVICES GONG ALLEGEDLY USED ARE STILL MISSING.
FURTHER INVESTIGATION BY FBI AGENTS UNCOVERED THAT GONG APPLIED TO SEVERAL SO-CALLED “TALENT PROGRAMS” OPERATED BY CHINA. THESE PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO RECRUIT OVERSEAS INDIVIDUALS TO HELP BOLSTER CHINA’S ECONOMIC AND MILITARY DEVELOPMENT.
IGOR NEYMAN | FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
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.
[LAUREN TAYLOR]
GONG HAS SINCE BEEN RELEASED ON $2.5 MILLION DOLLAR BOND.
THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ALSO ANNOUNCED CHARGES AGAINST TWO IRANIANS FOR ALLEGEDLY CONSPIRING TO EXPORT AEROSPACE INDUSTRY EQUIPMENT OUT OF THE US AND INTO IRAN.
THE ACCUSED FATHER-SON DUO CURRENTLY RESIDE IN IRAN AND HAVE NOT BEEN APPREHENDED.
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