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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.
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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.