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Ex-Google engineer accused of theft of AI proprietary information, traded to Chinese tech firms
Linwei Ding, previously a software engineer at Google, allegedly pilfered more than 500 distinct files of classified data from Google and traded them to a company in China. While still in the employ of Google at one of their US campuses, Ding accepted a position as a CTO in a tech firm based in China.
On Wednesday, the Justice Department announced that Linwei Ding, who was previously employed as a software engineer at Google, has been charged with supposedly pilfering artificial intelligence proprietary information from the firm. Ding, a citizen of China and also known as Leon Ding, was captured in Newark, California. He is facing four charges of federal trade secret theft, with each charge potentially leading to a maximum of 10 years in jail.
Merrick Garland, the Attorney General, disclosed the accusations at a conference hosted by the American Bar Association in San Francisco. He highlighted the persistent worries about economic spying by China and the potential national security threats tied to developments in artificial intelligence and other novel technologies.
The head of the FBI, Christopher Wray, highlighted the seriousness of the issue, remarking, "The charges put forth today further highlight the extent to which associates of firms headquartered in the People's Republic of China are prepared to resort to theft of American ingenuity." Wray stressed the harmful effects of such theft on employment in America and its substantial economic and national security consequences.
Google revealed that it had detected an employee stealing "multiple documents" and had swiftly notified the relevant law enforcement agencies.
Jose Castaneda, a representative from Google, stated that the company has strict protocols to avoid unwanted leaks of its confidential business data and proprietary secrets. Castaneda underlined that after an inquiry, it was found that an employee had illegally accessed various documents, which led Google to immediately engage law enforcement authorities. He showed appreciation to the FBI for its help in protecting Google's data and reiterated the company's dedication to continuous cooperation with law enforcement.
In the fiercely competitive world of advanced technology, artificial intelligence emerges as a primary battleground for competitors, bearing substantial consequences for both business prosperity and safety.
The charges revealed on Wednesday in California's Northern District accuse Linwei Ding, a Google employee since 2019 with access to confidential details about the company's supercomputing data centers, of illegally moving hundreds of files to a personal Google Cloud account two years back.
Prosecutors revealed that not long after the initiation of the robbery, Linwei Ding was presented with the opportunity to become the chief technology officer at a budding tech firm in China. The firm emphasized its reliance on AI technology and lured Ding with a monthly income nearing $14,800, as well as a yearly bonus and shares in the company.
The charges specify that Ding journeyed to China, participated in business investor gatherings, and strived to obtain funds for the company's activities. Furthermore, he founded and took on the position of CEO at a different startup in China, which is concentrated on training extensive AI models using powerful computing chips.
Interestingly, Ding failed to inform Google about his associations with these Chinese businesses. The investigation uncovered that he held a lower-level position. On December 26th, Ding stepped down from his role at Google.
Not long after he left, authorities at Google found out that Ding had misrepresented himself as the CEO of a Chinese firm at a financial backers conference in Beijing merely three days after. Additionally, security camera recordings exposed that another staff member had been using Ding's entry pass at Google's US location to make it seem like Ding was at work, when in reality, he was in China.
After discovering these inconsistencies, Google immediately blocked Ding's network access, remotely secured his laptop, and initiated a review of his past network activities. Later, in January, the FBI conducted a search at Ding's home, confiscating his electronic gadgets. A further warrant was granted to access Ding's personal accounts, which revealed more than 500 distinct files of confidential data that Google claims were stolen by Ding.
(Incorporating information from various sources)
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