Overview
- Chenguang Gong, a dual U.S.-China citizen and former engineer at a Southern California R&D firm, pleaded guilty on July 21 to theft of trade secrets benefiting the Chinese government.
- He admitted downloading more than 3,600 proprietary files from his employer’s systems to three personal storage devices between March and April 2023.
- The stolen blueprints covered infrared sensor designs for space-based nuclear missile warning systems and aircraft countermeasures against heat-seeking missiles.
- Federal filings show Gong applied to Chinese government “Talent Programs” from 2014 to 2022 to pitch advanced military technology projects.
- Sentencing is set for September 29, when Gong faces up to 10 years in prison and an estimated $3.5 million in intended economic loss.