A former engineer at a Southern California company has been apprehended on federal charges, accused of pilfering trade secret technologies developed for United States (US) government use in detecting nuclear missile launches and tracking ballistic and hypersonic missiles, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Chenguang Gong, aged 57 and residing in San Jose, California, was taken into custody Tuesday morning, the Justice Department revealed. Gong is currently detained pending a hearing.
The criminal complaint lodged against Gong alleges theft of trade secrets. According to unsealed court documents, Gong purportedly siphoned off over 3,600 files from a Los Angeles-area research and development entity--identified as the victim company--to personal storage devices during his brief tenure with the company last year.
Among the filched data were blueprints for advanced infrared sensors engineered for deployment in space-based systems to detect nuclear missile launches and monitor ballistic and hypersonic missiles.
Additionally, the pilfered materials reportedly encompassed schematics for sensors enabling US military aircraft to identify incoming heat-seeking missiles and execute countermeasures, including infrared tracking jamming.
A significant portion of these files was later discovered on storage devices seized from Gong's temporary residence in Thousand Oaks, as per an affidavit accompanying the complaint.
The Justice Department warned that the technologies purportedly purloined by Gong could pose grave risks to US national security if obtained by foreign entities.
In his role as an application-specific integrated circuit design manager at the victim company's laboratory, Gong was entrusted with overseeing the development and verification of infrared sensors.
However, beginning in late March 2023 and persisting until his termination in April 2023, Gong purportedly conducted a clandestine data exfiltration operation.
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Gong's Alleged Engagements With Chinese Talent Programs
The affidavit accompanying the complaint sheds light on Gong's previous engagements with Chinese talent programs, wherein he proposed projects mirroring his work for American firms, evidently with intentions to advance Chinese military objectives.
Prior to his arrest, Gong's activities had drawn suspicion for their potential implications on national security. Court documents indicate that Gong, between 2014 and 2022, made multiple applications for "talent programs" operated by the Chinese government, all while employed at several major US technology firms and one of the world's leading defense contractors.
As per the complaint, the Chinese Talent Program Tracker is designed to pinpoint individuals residing outside China possessing expertise and insights capable of enhancing the Chinese economy and strengthening its military capacities.
In his Talent Program applications, Gong highlighted the military benefits of the converters he planned to develop, mentioning their importance for radar systems and missile navigation. In a 2019 email, he acknowledged the risk of participating due to his job at an American military company but expressed his desire to contribute to China's military technology.
According to the affidavit, Gong persisted in pursuing funding from Chinese government programs until at least March 2022. Prosecutors stated that Gong is originally from China, and obtained American citizenship in 2011.
Los Angeles US Attorney Martin Estrada emphasized the gravity of Gong's actions, noting his prior attempts to furnish China with information conducive to bolstering its military capabilities.
"We will do everything to protect our nation's security, including from foreign threats," Estrada said.
A criminal complaint, while a serious allegation, must be proven beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law. Gong faces a maximum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment if convicted of theft of trade secrets.
