Latest news with #espionage
Fox News
an hour ago
- Business
- Fox News
Chinese citizen admits stealing US trade secrets for next-generation national security tech
A dual U.S.-Chinese citizen formerly employed as an engineer at a Southern California company has admitted to stealing U.S. trade secrets for next-generation national security technology. Though Chenguang Gong, 59, of San Jose, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of trade secrets, he remains free on a $1.75 million bond, according to the Justice Department. U.S. District Judge John F. Walter scheduled sentencing for Sept. 29. Prosecutors said Gong faces a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. According to his plea agreement, Gong transferred more than 3,600 files from a Los Angeles-area research and development company where he worked, to personal storage devices during his brief tenure with the company last year. Federal prosecutors said the files Gong transferred include blueprints for sophisticated infrared sensors designed for use in space-based systems to detect nuclear missile launches and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles. Other files were said to have included blueprints for sensors designed to enable U.S. military aircraft to detect incoming, heat-seeking missiles and take countermeasures, including by jamming the missiles' infrared tracking ability. "These files describe the methods, designs, techniques, processes, specifications, testing, and manufacture of these technologies and would be extremely damaging economically if obtained by the Victim Company's competitors, and would be dangerous to U.S. national security if obtained by international actors," the complaint says. The "intended economic loss" from Gong's criminal conduct exceeds $3.5 million, according to the plea agreement. Court documents note that much of the Malibu-based company's work is funded through contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense and other U.S. government contractors. Gong was hired by the company in January 2023 as an application-specific integrated circuit design manager responsible for the design, development and verification of its infrared sensors. From approximately March 30 that year until his termination on April 26, 2023, Gong allegedly transferred thousands of files from his work laptop to three personal storage devices. That included more than 1,800 files after he had accepted a job at one of the company's main competitors, prosecutors said. Prosecutors said many of the files Gong transferred contained proprietary and trade-secret information related to the development and design of a readout integrated circuit that allows space-based systems to detect missile launches and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles and a readout integrated circuit that allows aircraft to track incoming threats in low-visibility environments. Gong also allegedly transferred files containing trade secrets relating to the development of "next generation" sensors capable of detecting low-observable targets while demonstrating increased survivability in space, as well as the blueprints for the mechanical assemblies used to house and cryogenically cool the company's sensors. That information was among the company's most important trade secrets and is worth hundreds of millions of dollars, according to the DOJ. Many of the files had warnings in bold letters that the information was proprietary, export-controlled and for "official use only." The FBI executed a search warrant on May 8, 2023 at Gong's temporary residence in Thousand Oaks, California, and also searched his vehicle and his person. Law enforcement recovered multiple digital devices belonging to Gong, some of which contained the company's propriety files. The complaint says the FBI, however, did not locate two hard drives Gong used to exfiltrate the company's trade secret and proprietary information, "and the whereabouts of those drives to date remains unknown." Prosecutors said Gong repeatedly denied processing those hard drives or knowing where they were located in May 2023 interviews with the FBI. Gong was arrested on federal charges on Feb. 7, 2024, but was later released on bond. Court documents say Gong first entered the United States in or around 1993 and became a U.S. citizen in 2011. His resume states that he earned a Master of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering from Clemson University and completed some PhD work at Stanford University, according to the complaint. Law enforcement also said Gong applied to "Talent Programs" administered by the People's Republic of China while he was employed at several major technology companies in the U.S. between approximately 2014 and 2022. While employed at a U.S. information technology company headquartered in Dallas, Gong in 2014 sent a business proposal to a contact at a high-tech research institute in China focused on both military and civilian products, prosecutors said. In the proposal, Gong described a plan to produce high-performance analog-to-digital converters like those produced by his employer. In another "Talent Program" application from September 2020, prosecutors said, Gong proposed to develop "low light/night vision" image sensors for use in military night vision goggles and civilian applications. Gong's proposal included a video presentation that contained the model number of a sensor developed by an international defense, aerospace, and security company where Gong worked from 2015 to 2019, according to the DOJ. Authorities said Gong traveled to China several times to seek "Talent Program" funding in order to develop sophisticated analog-to-digital converters. The Justice Department cited a 2019 email translated from Chinese in which Gong remarked that he "took a risk" by traveling to China to participate in the Talent Programs because he worked for "an American military industry company" and thought he could "do something" to contribute to China's "high-end military integrated circuits."
CTV News
4 hours ago
- Politics
- CTV News
U.K. jury finds man who dreamed of being James Bond guilty of attempting to spy for Russia
The unanimous verdict came after four hours of deliberations. LONDON — A British man who dreamed of being like James Bond was convicted on Tuesday of attempting to spy for Russia. Howard Phillips, 65, sought to pass information about former Defense Secretary Grant Shapps to two men he believed were Russian agents. However, the agents were undercover British intelligence agents. A jury at Winchester Crown Court found Phillips guilty of assisting what he believed to be a foreign intelligence agency. The unanimous verdict came after four hours of deliberations. He was remanded into custody and will be sentenced in the fall. No precise date was set. Prosecutors said Phillips offered to turn over Shapps' contact details as well as the location where he kept his private plane to 'facilitate the Russians in listening on British defense plans.' The defendant's ex-wife told the court that Phillips 'would dream about being like James Bond,' and watched films about the British secret services because he was 'infatuated with it.' Bethan David, head of the Crown Prosecution Service's counterterrorism division, said the conviction sends a clear message to anyone considering spying for Russia. 'Phillips was brazen in his pursuit for financial gain, and unbothered about the potential detriment to his own country,' David said. The Associated Press
The Independent
5 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
James Bond fanatic shared Grant Shapp's details to fake Russian spies
A British man who loved James Bond films has been found guilty of trying to spy for what he believed to be Russian intelligence service agents. Howard Phillips, 65, from Harlow, Essex, intended to help two apparent Russian agents called 'Sasha' and 'Dima', including by passing on personal information about former defence secretary Sir Grant Shapps, helping with travel logistics and booking hotels. But 'Dima' and 'Sasha' were in fact undercover British intelligence officers, Winchester Crown Court previously heard. A jury found Phillips guilty of assisting a foreign intelligence service under the National Security Act on Tuesday, following a trial at the same court. The jury reached a unanimous verdict after four hours and four minutes of deliberations. Phillips, wearing a dark suit and tie, silently shook his head in the dock as the verdict was given. Prosecutors said Phillips intended to assist Russian agents from the end of 2023 until May last year. Phillips offered to pass on Sir Grant's contact details as well as the location where he kept his private plane in order to 'facilitate the Russians in listening on British defence plans', the trial heard. He was heard telling the men he wanted to work for Russia in exchange for financial independence from the UK. The defendant's ex-wife, Amanda Phillips, told the court during the trial that he 'would dream about being like James Bond', and that he watched films to do with MI5 and MI6 as he was 'infatuated with it'. Mrs Phillips told the court she was aware the defendant had applied for a job at the UK Border Force in October 2023, which prosecutors said was part of his bid to assist Russia's intelligence service. Phillips previously claimed he had contacted the Russian embassy in early 2024 in a bid to track and expose Russian agents to assist Israel. He told jurors he ascertained 'from the onset' that 'Dima' and 'Shasha' were 'definitely not Russian' and were undercover individuals, but that he carried on 'playing a role' around these agents in order to 'test the waters'. Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb remanded Phillips in custody and adjourned sentencing to the 'earliest available date' in the autumn. The judge said she wanted a full pre-sentence report on the defendant ahead of sentencing as the conviction was for a 'relatively new' offence. Addressing the jurors, she said: 'Thank you very much for the important work that you have done on this very important case. 'We are trying, as a system, to get to the right answers in these situations.' Bethan David, head of the Crown Prosecution Service's counter terrorism division, said: 'This conviction sends a clear message to anyone considering spying for or assisting Russia. 'Howard Phillips clearly outlined the services he was willing to provide for a hostile state. From gaining employment within the civil service and applying for security clearance, to providing the personal details of the Secretary of State for Defence – Phillips was brazen in his pursuit for financial gain and unbothered about the potential detriment to his own country. 'It is a criminal offence to assist a foreign intelligence service, regardless of your motive or whether or not you succeed. 'We will always seek to prosecute anyone who poses a threat to the UK.'
Associated Press
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
UK jury finds man who dreamed of being James Bond guilty of attempting to spy for Russia
LONDON (AP) — A British man who dreamed of being like James Bond was convicted on Tuesday of attempting to spy for Russia. Howard Phillips, 65, sought to pass information about former Defense Secretary Grant Shapps to two men he believed were Russian agents. However, the agents were undercover British intelligence agents. A jury at Winchester Crown Court found Phillips guilty of assisting what he believed to be a foreign intelligence agency. The unanimous verdict came after four hours of deliberations. He was remanded into custody and will be sentenced in the fall. No precise date was set. Prosecutors said Phillips offered to turn over Shapps' contact details as well as the location where he kept his private plane to 'facilitate the Russians in listening on British defense plans.' The defendant's ex-wife told the court that Phillips 'would dream about being like James Bond,' and watched films about the British secret services because he was 'infatuated with it.' Bethan David, head of the Crown Prosecution Service's counterterrorism division, said the conviction sends a clear message to anyone considering spying for Russia. 'Phillips was brazen in his pursuit for financial gain, and unbothered about the potential detriment to his own country,' David said.
Telegraph
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
British ‘James Bond wannabe' guilty of trying to spy for Russia
A British man who 'dreamt about being like James Bond' has been found guilty of trying to spy for what he believed to be Russian intelligence service agents. Howard Phillips, 65, intended to help two apparent Russian agents called 'Sasha' and 'Dima', including by passing on personal information about Sir Grant Shapps, the former defence secretary, helping with travel logistics and booking hotels. But 'Dima' and 'Sasha' were in fact undercover British intelligence officers, Winchester Crown Court previously heard. A jury found Phillips, from Harlow in Essex, guilty of assisting a foreign intelligence service, in breach of the National Security Act, on Tuesday following a trial at the same court. The jury reached a unanimous verdict after four hours and four minutes of deliberations. Phillips, wearing a dark suit and tie, silently shook his head in the dock as the verdict was given. 'Infatuated with it' Amanda Phillips, the defendant's ex-wife, told the court during the trial that he 'would dream about being like James Bond', and that he watched films to do with MI5 and MI6 and was 'infatuated with it'. Mrs Phillips told the court she was aware the defendant had applied for a job at the UK Border Force in October 2023, which prosecutors said was part of his bid to assist Russia's intelligence service. Phillips previously claimed he had contacted the Russian embassy in early 2024 in a bid to track and expose Russian agents to assist Israel. Justice Bobbie Cheema-Grubb remanded Phillips in custody and adjourned sentencing to the 'earliest available date' in the autumn.
