Former Google engineer found guilty of stealing AI secrets for Chinese firms

A former Google engineer has been found guilty on multiple federal charges for stealing the tech giant’s trade secrets on artificial intelligence to benefit Chinese companies he secretly worked for, federal prosecutors said.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California, a jury on Thursday convicted Linwei Ding on seven counts of economic espionage and seven counts of theft of trade secrets, following an 11-day trial. The 38-year-old, also known as Leon Ding, was hired by Google in 2019 and was a resident of Newark.

“Silicon Valley is at the forefront of artificial intelligence innovation, pioneering transformative work that drives economic growth and strengthens our national security.  The jury delivered a clear message today that the theft of this valuable technology will not go unpunished,” U.S. Attorney Craig Missakian said in a statement.

According to evidence presented at trial, Ding stole more than 2,000 pages of confidential information containing Google AI trade secrets between May 2022 and April 2023. He uploaded the information to his personal Google Cloud account.

Around the same time, Ding secretly affiliated himself with two Chinese-based technology companies. Around June 2022, prosecutors said Ding was in discussions to be the chief technology officer for an early-stage tech company.

Several months later, he was in the process of founding his own AI and machine learning company in China, acting as the company’s CEO.

Prosecutors said Ding told investors that he could build an AI supercomputer by copying and modifying Google’s technology.

In late 2023, prosecutors said Ding downloaded the trade secrets to his own personal computer before resigning from Google.

According to the superseding indictment, Google uncovered the uploads after finding out that Ding presented himself as CEO of one of the companies during an Beijing investor conference. Around the same time, Ding told his manager he was leaving the company and booked a one-way flight to Beijing.

In early Jan. 2024, the FBI executed a search warrant at his home and Ding was arrested two months later.

“The theft and misuse of advanced artificial intelligence technology for the benefit of the People’s Republic of China threatens our technological edge and economic competitiveness,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani said. “Today’s verdict affirms that federal law will be enforced to protect our nation’s most valuable technologies and hold those who steal them accountable.”

Prosecutors said Ding is scheduled to appear at a status conference on Feb. 3. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for each count of theft of trade secrets and 15 years for each count of economic espionage.