Calif. Jury Convicts Ex-Google Engineer Of Stealing AI Secrets

By Editorial Team

A California federal jury has found former Google software engineer Linwei Ding guilty of seven counts of trade secret theft and seven counts of economic espionage. The verdict was reached in a criminal trial where Ding was accused of stealing artificial intelligence trade secrets from Google for personal gain and to benefit China.

The case, prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California, alleged that Ding misappropriated sensitive AI information from Google, a tech giant known for its advancements in artificial intelligence technology. The trial unfolded in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

According to the indictment, Ding’s actions were deemed as a violation of trade secret laws and economic espionage statutes. The jury’s decision to convict him on all counts underscores the severity of the charges brought against the former Google engineer.

Legal representation for Ding was provided by the law firm Goodwin Procter. Google LLC, the victim of the trade secret theft, was represented throughout the proceedings.

The conviction of Ding serves as a reminder of the legal consequences individuals face when engaging in trade secret theft and economic espionage. Such actions not only harm the companies from which information is stolen but also pose a threat to national security and economic interests.

As the case concludes with a guilty verdict, it highlights the importance of safeguarding intellectual property and upholding the laws that protect proprietary information in the technology sector.