A California resident with connections to China has been apprehended in relation to an alleged scheme to pilfer blueprints of nuclear missile launch sensors crafted for the United States government, as revealed by the Justice Department on Wednesday.
Chenguang Gong, the accused individual, purportedly absconded with files encompassing trade secrets concerning technology pivotal for detecting nuclear missile launches and monitoring ballistic and hypersonic missiles. These classified materials, if acquired by foreign entities, pose a significant threat to U.S. national security, as per court documents cited by USA TODAY.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent Igor Neyman, in an affidavit submitted to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, disclosed that two out of the three storage devices onto which Gong purportedly transferred files have yet to be recovered.
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada asserted that Gong had previously endeavored to furnish China with information beneficial to its military endeavors. Estrada emphasized the imperative of safeguarding American innovations against the backdrop of active efforts by foreign actors, particularly the People’s Republic of China, to pilfer U.S. technology.
Gong, aged 57 and hailing from San Jose, faces charges of theft of trade secrets, a transgression carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal incarceration.
In January 2023, Gong commenced employment at a Malibu-based company specializing in technology development for nuclear missile detection and missile tracking for entities such as the Department of Defense and other U.S. government contractors, Neyman elucidated in his affidavit.
Between March and April 2023, Gong purportedly transferred over 3,600 files from his work laptop to three personal storage devices, incorporating files containing trade secrets related to military technology. Neyman underscored the gravity of these stolen files, highlighting their potential to inflict economic harm if accessed by competitors of the victim company, and their peril to U.S. national security if acquired by international actors.
During early April, while continuing his unauthorized file transfers, Gong accepted a job offer from a rival company. However, the company from which he had been pilfering files terminated his employment upon discovering a flash drive, one of the three storage devices implicated in the illicit transfer, Neyman added.
Subsequently, the FBI executed a search warrant at Gong’s temporary residence in Thousand Oaks, California, uncovering company files on some of his devices. However, the two hard drives purportedly used by Gong to transfer trade secrets remain elusive.
According to Neyman’s affidavit, Gong allegedly submitted multiple applications to “talent programs” administered by the Chinese government from 2014 to 2022. These programs, aimed at identifying individuals outside China possessing specialized skills and knowledge beneficial to the country’s economy, including its military, were reportedly pursued by Gong, who also held positions at prominent U.S. technology firms and a leading global defense contractor.
Donald Alway, assistant director in charge of the FBI Los Angeles field office, emphasized the grave consequences of trade secret theft, particularly concerning sensitive military technology. Alway underscored the FBI’s commitment to holding accountable those who engage in such illicit activities, emphasizing the importance of protecting U.S. businesses and individuals who contribute to technological innovation.