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Ex-Google engineer accused of pilfering AI confidential data, trading it to Chinese tech firms
Linwei Ding, previously a software engineer at Google, is accused of unlawfully obtaining more than 500 distinct files of confidential data from Google and trading it to a company in China. Ding secured a position as a CTO in a tech firm based in China, all the while maintaining his employment at Google, at their US campus.
The Department of Justice announced on Wednesday that Linwei Ding, also known by the alias Leon Ding, a previous software engineer at Google, is facing charges for purportedly pilfering artificial intelligence confidential information from the firm. Ding, hailing from China, was arrested in Newark, California and is dealing with four charges of federal secret trade theft, each charge potentially leading to a maximum of 10 years behind bars.
During an American Bar Association meeting in San Francisco, Attorney General Merrick Garland unveiled the accusations, highlighting continuous worries about Chinese economic spying and the potential national security threats linked to progress in artificial intelligence and other new technologies.
FBI Chief Christopher Wray highlighted the seriousness of the circumstances, saying, "The charges declared today shed light on how far Chinese company affiliates are ready to go to rob American ingenuity." Wray stressed the negative effects of this kind of theft on employment in America and its considerable consequences on the economy and national security.
Google announced that it had discovered an employee stealing "multiple documents" and had immediately alerted the police and other relevant authorities.
Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda stated that the company has strict protocols to protect its sensitive business information and proprietary knowledge from unauthorized exposure. Castaneda highlighted that after an inquiry, it was revealed that an employee had illegally accessed several documents, which led Google to quickly engage with law enforcement authorities. He thanked the FBI for their help in protecting Google's data and reassured the company's dedication to continuous cooperation with law enforcement.
In the high-tech competitive environment, artificial intelligence acts as a major battleground for competitors, having considerable impact on not only business profitability but also safety.
The charges revealed on Wednesday in California's Northern District suggest that Linwei Ding, who has been working for Google since 2019 and had access to confidential details about the company's high-performance computing centres, started an unapproved shift of hundreds of documents to a private Google Cloud account two years ago.
Prosecutors revealed that Linwei Ding was promptly proposed the role of chief technology officer at a budding tech firm in China, following the initiation of the theft. The company, renowned for its AI technology application, lured Ding with a monthly wage of around $14,800, in addition to a yearly bonus and shares in the company.
The charges detailed that Ding made a trip to China, took part in company investor meetings, and made efforts to obtain funding for its activities. Moreover, he set up and took on the position of CEO at a different start-up in China, dedicated to the development of extensive AI models using supercomputer chips.
Significantly, Ding didn't reveal his connections with these Chinese firms to Google. An investigation disclosed that he was a lower-ranking employee. He quit his job at Google on December 26th.
Not long after he left, Google authorities found out that Ding had misrepresented himself as the CEO of a Chinese firm at a Beijing investor conference just three days subsequent to his departure. Additionally, security camera recordings showed that another worker had been duplicating Ding's entry pass at Google's US site to give the impression that Ding was in the office, when in fact, he was in China.
After discovering these inconsistencies, Google immediately blocked Ding's network access, remotely locked his laptop, and started examining his past network activities. Later, in January, the FBI carried out a search warrant at Ding's home, confiscating all his electronic gadgets. They also issued another warrant to investigate the contents of Ding's personal accounts, unveiling over 500 distinct files of supposedly confidential information that was claimed to be stolen from Google.
(Incorporating information from various sources)
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