US EditionEngineer Pleads Guilty to Stealing Missile-Sensing Technology for Chinese Government
LOS ANGELES-AREA, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, JUL 21 – Gong Chenguang admitted stealing over 3,600 sensitive files on missile detection technologies worth $3.5 million in economic loss to benefit Chinese military programs, prosecutors said.
- Chenguang Gong, a 59-year-old dual U.S.-China citizen, pleaded guilty on July 21 in Los Angeles to stealing trade secrets related to missile-sensing technology.
- Between 2014 and 2022, Gong worked for multiple U.S. tech companies while applying to Chinese Talent Programs designed to recruit experts in advanced military technologies.
- In early 2023, Gong joined a Los Angeles-based company in a role focused on designing, developing, and verifying infrared sensors, during which he copied over 3,600 confidential files, including detailed blueprints for missile detection sensor technology, onto his personal devices.
- Federal prosecutors estimate the economic loss from Gong’s theft exceeds $3.5 million, and he faces up to 10 years in prison with sentencing set for September 29.
- Following his guilty plea, Gong is out on bail set at $1.75 million, while officials highlight that the stolen technology is crucial to U.S. defense capabilities against nuclear, ballistic, and hypersonic missile threats.
11 Articles
11 Articles
Chinese American Pleads Guilty to Stealing US Missile-Detection Technology for China
A Chinese American living in Northern California pleaded guilty on July 21 to stealing infrared technology used by the U.S. government to detect nuclear missile launches and other sensitive information. Chenguang Gong, 59, of San Jose, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of trade secrets. He remained free on a $1.75 million bond, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Gong, a dual citizen of the United States and China, was arrested Feb. 6, 2…
U.S.-China citizen pleads guilty to stealing U.S. missile blueprints
A California resident with connections to Chinese government recruitment programs has pleaded guilty to stealing sensitive U.S. military technology used to detect nuclear missile launches and track hypersonic weapons, according to the U.S. Justice Department. Chenguang Gong, 59, of San Jose, admitted to transferring thousands of confidential files from a Southern California defense contractor during a brief period of employment in 2023. The file…
Ex-Engineer at SoCal Company Pleads Guilty to Theft of Trade Secrets
A former engineer at a Southern California company pleaded guilty Monday to stealing technology developed for use by the U.S. government to detect nuclear missile launches, track ballistic and hypersonic missiles, and to allow American fighter planes to detect and evade heat-seeking missiles. Chenguang Gong, 59, of San Jose, pleaded guilty in Los Angeles to one federal count of theft of trade secrets, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Gon…
San Jose engineer pleads guilty to stealing trade secret technology for Chinese government
A San Jose man arrested for stealing thousands of files containing sensitive missile technologies and trade secrets pled guilty Monday, the U.S. Department of Justice announced in a news release. San Jose resident Chenguang Gong, 59, a dual citizen of the U.S. and China, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of trade secrets. Gong was arrested in February 2024 and remains free on a $1.75 million bond. He faces a sentence of up to 10 years in pris…
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