Ex-Google Engineer Arrested for Stealing AI Tech Secrets

An Ex-Google engineer has been arrested for stealing trade secrets, particularly those related to artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

Linwei Ding, also known as Leon Ding, is a 38-year-old software engineer who lives in Newark, California. A federal grand jury has indicted him on four counts of theft of trade secrets.

The indictment, returned on March 5 and unsealed on March 8, alleges that Ding transferred sensitive Google trade secrets to his account while secretly working with companies based in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) active in the AI industry.

National Security Concerns

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, speaking at the American Bar Association’s 39th National Institute on White Collar Crime, emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “The Justice Department will not tolerate the theft of artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies that could put our national security at risk.”

The case highlights the Justice Department’s vigilance against the risks posed by AI, including threats to national security.

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Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco added that the defendant allegedly stole over 500 confidential files containing AI trade secrets from Google while covertly working for China-based companies seeking an edge in the AI technology race.

Theft of American Innovation

FBI Director Christopher Wray pointed out that the theft of innovative technology and trade secrets from American companies can have severe economic and national security consequences.

The FBI is committed to vigorously pursuing those responsible for such thefts.

The FBI recently tweeted about the arrest of a Chinese national living in California for stealing trade secrets related to artificial intelligence from Google.

The individual is accused of unlawfully accessing confidential information that could harm Google’s intellectual property.

Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division highlighted the role of the Disruptive Technology Strike Force in holding accountable those who steal advanced American technology.

The strike force is an interagency law enforcement group co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce, designed to target illicit actors and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation-states.

Details of the Alleged Theft

According to court documents, the technology Ding is accused of stealing involves the building blocks of Google’s advanced supercomputing data centers, which support machine learning workloads used to train and host large AI models.

This process is central to Google’s proprietary hardware and software, including advanced computer chips and a software platform featuring a Cluster Management System (CMS).

Ding, hired by Google in 2019, had access to confidential information related to the hardware infrastructure, the software platform, and the AI models and applications they supported.

The indictment alleges that Ding began uploading trade secrets to a personal Google Cloud account in May 2022 and continued until May 2023, uploading more than 500 unique files.

Potential Consequences

If convicted, Ding faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine for each count of theft of trade secrets.

A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Commerce Department, with prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California and the Justice Department National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

This arrest is a stark reminder of the high stakes in protecting intellectual property in the tech industry, particularly in areas of strategic importance such as AI.

It also highlights the ongoing concerns about transferring sensitive technologies to other countries, especially those with which the U.S. has complex trade and security relationships.

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