Chinese National Charged with Stealing Google AI Trade Secrets

A former Google engineer of Chinese origin is facing serious charges for allegedly stealing the tech giant's proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) trade secrets and leaking them to companies based in China. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on February 5 that Linwei (Leon) Ding, a former software engineer at Google, has been indicted on multiple counts of economic espionage and theft of trade secrets.
The superseding indictment accuses Ding of uploading over 1,000 confidential Google files to his personal Google Cloud account between May 2022 and May 2023. These files allegedly contained sensitive information regarding Google's hardware infrastructure and software platforms, which support the company's advanced AI supercomputing systems.
Alleged Collaboration with Chinese Tech Firms
Ding, who worked at Google from 2019 until the time of the alleged theft, is said to have developed covert relationships with two Chinese technology companies. According to the DOJ, Ding's actions were intended to benefit the Chinese government by providing them with Google’s trade secrets related to cutting-edge AI technology.
In June 2022, Ding reportedly began discussions with the chief technology officer of a Chinese tech company. By May 2023, he had secretly founded an AI and machine-learning company in China, where he assumed the role of CEO. During this period, Ding allegedly stole critical information, including details on Google’s custom-designed SmartNIC, Tensor Processing Unit (TPU), and Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) chips. In addition, sensitive software for chip communications and next-gen AI technologies was also leaked.
Internal Sabotage and Support for China's National Policies
Court documents further detail how Ding allegedly used PowerPoint presentations to promote his Chinese company, with content that referenced Chinese national policies and talent programs. These presentations reportedly included statements such as, "will help China to have computing power infrastructure capabilities that are on par with the international level," signaling Ding’s clear intent to support the Chinese government's technological ambitions.
Severe Consequences Await if Convicted
The DOJ’s case against Ding is currently under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and he remains in U.S. custody while the prosecution proceeds. Ding was initially indicted in March 2024 on four counts of theft of trade secrets, but the charges have since been expanded to include seven counts of economic espionage and seven counts of theft of trade secrets.
If convicted on all charges, Ding faces a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison, in addition to potentially facing up to $36.75 million in fines. However, the final fine amount will depend on a variety of factors, including the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
The case highlights growing concerns over the protection of intellectual property in the tech sector, particularly in industries like AI, where proprietary information can have significant geopolitical and economic implications. As the investigation unfolds, the case may also raise questions about security practices within major tech companies like Google and their vulnerability to insider threats.
Disclaimer: The content on this website is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. We do not endorse any project or product. Readers should conduct their own research and assume full responsibility for their decisions. We are not liable for any loss or damage arising from reliance on the information provided. Crypto investments carry risks.