Federal Prosecutors Unveil 14-Count Indictment
A former Google software engineer, Linwei “Leon” Ding, is facing an expanded 14-count indictment for allegedly stealing artificial intelligence (AI) trade secrets to benefit two Chinese technology companies he secretly worked for. U.S. prosecutors revealed the charges on Tuesday, significantly escalating the legal battle against the 38-year-old Chinese national.
Ding was indicted by a federal grand jury in San Francisco on seven counts of economic espionage and seven counts of trade secret theft. Each economic espionage charge carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a $5 million fine, while each trade secret charge could result in up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Coordinated Effort to Combat Technology Theft
The case against Ding is part of a broader effort by the Biden administration to protect U.S. technological advancements. His prosecution was coordinated through the Disruptive Technology Strike Force, an interagency initiative launched in 2023 to prevent sensitive technology from being acquired by foreign adversaries such as China and Russia.
Alleged Theft of AI and Chip Designs
Prosecutors allege that Ding stole proprietary information related to Google’s AI infrastructure, including confidential blueprints for chips designed to enhance the company’s supercomputing data centers. These chips were intended to give Google a competitive edge over cloud computing rivals such as Amazon and Microsoft while reducing reliance on third-party chip manufacturers like Nvidia.
Ding joined Google in May 2019 but allegedly began transferring confidential files in 2022 when he was being recruited by a Chinese technology firm. By May 2023, he had allegedly uploaded more than 1,000 sensitive documents. Prosecutors claim he later shared a PowerPoint presentation with employees of a Chinese startup he founded, touting China’s government policies supporting domestic AI development.
Legal Proceedings and Potential Trial
Ding was initially indicted last March on four counts of trade secret theft. He remains free on bond, and his defense attorneys have not publicly commented on the new charges. Court records from a December hearing indicate that prosecutors and defense lawyers discussed a “potential resolution” to the case but anticipate that it will go to trial. Google, which has cooperated with law enforcement, has not been charged in connection with the case. The case is being prosecuted in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California under case number 24-cr-00141.
