Chinese spy stole US missile blueprints
Chenguang Gong, a 59-year-old engineer, transferred more than 3,600 files from an unnamed 'research and development company' in Los Angeles where he worked to personal storage devices last year, according to the US Department of Justice.
Among the transferred files, which were found at Gong's home in Southern California, were 'blueprints for sophisticated infrared sensors designed for use in space-based systems to detect nuclear missile launches and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles ', according to the Justice Department.
There were also blueprints for sensors that can enable military aircraft to ' detect incoming heat-seeking missiles and take countermeasures' such as by jamming the missiles' infrared tracking ability.
The transfer also included documents relating to the development of 'next generation' sensors, which can detect low observable targets as well as the blueprints for the 'mechanical assemblies', which were used to house and cool the company's own sensors.
The company files were reportedly clearly labelled as containing proprietary information and valued at hundreds of millions of dollars.
Applied to China's 'talent programme'
Gong, who was born in China and became a US citizen in 2011, had worked for the company for less than a month when his contract was terminated in April 2023.
During its investigation, US law enforcement also found that between approximately 2014 and 2022, Gong had submitted several applications to the so-called 'talent programme', which is administered by the Chinese government to identify individuals with exceptional skills and abilities and utilise them expanding the state's capabilities, including in the military.
When he had applied for the programme, Gong was working at several major technology companies in the US. In one, he described a 'low light/night vision' image sensor that could be used in military night vision goggles.
In 2014, Gong had also sent a letter to a technology university in China proposing an analogue-to-digital converter. He later travelled to and from China multiple times to seek funding for this technology, emphasising that it had important military applications.
According to his plea agreement, the losses incurred from the stolen documents exceeds $3.5 million (£2.6 million).
Gong now faces up to 10 years in prison, with his sentencing scheduled for Sept 29.
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