Weibao Wang, a 35-year-old former Apple engineer, previously lived in Mountain View, California and joined Apple in 2016
On Tuesday, the United States unveiled charges in five cases related to alleged technology theft benefiting China, Russia, and Iran. Among them, a former Apple engineer was accused of focusing on the company’s autonomous systems technology, including self-driving cars, and subsequently fleeing to China. The Justice Department press conference highlighted these cases, which primarily revolved around allegations of trade secret theft and acquisition of sensitive technology. Notably, two cases involved procurement networks aimed at assisting Russia’s military and intelligence services in obtaining such technology, according to U.S. officials.
The announcement of the five cases marks the initial actions taken by a U.S. “strike force” established in February, primarily to safeguard sensitive technologies. However, it’s important to note that the investigations were initiated prior to the formation of the strike force.
Matt Olsen, the head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, reassured reporters that they are unwavering in their commitment to uphold U.S. laws and halt the transfer of sensitive technologies to foreign adversaries. He emphasized their dedication to taking every possible measure to prevent advanced tools from ending up in the possession of such adversaries.
According to an April indictment revealed on Tuesday, the former Apple engineer known as Weibao Wang, aged 35, had previously lived in Mountain View, California, and joined Apple in 2016. The indictment stated that in 2017, he took a position with a Chinese company based in the United States that focused on self-driving car development. However, he resigned from Apple and waited approximately four months before informing them about his new job.
According to the Justice Department, following his departure from Apple, it was discovered that the former engineer had accessed a significant amount of proprietary data shortly before leaving the company. In June 2018, federal agents conducted a search of his residence and uncovered substantial quantities of Apple’s data. The department further revealed that immediately after the search, the engineer boarded a flight to China.
Apple’s Project Titan, their venture into automotive development initiated in 2014, has faced various challenges. A recent report indicated that the planned launch of the Apple car has been delayed until 2026. Notably, Apple is currently engaged in vehicle testing on California’s roads, as documented in reports submitted to the state.
Apple declined to comment on the specific case involving the former engineer.
In another case related to China, U.S. prosecutors announced charges against Liming Li, a 64-year-old resident of Rancho Cucamonga, California. The charges accuse Li of stealing trade secrets from his California-based employers with the intention of establishing his own competing business in China.
Nikolaos “Nikos” Bogonikolos, a 49-year-old individual from Greece, has been charged by prosecutors in New York for smuggling U.S.-origin military technologies to Russia. The charges stem from his role as a defense contractor for NATO.
Oleg Sergeyevich Patsulya and Vasilii Sergeyevich Besedin, both Russian nationals, are facing charges in Arizona. They are accused of utilizing their Florida-based company to illegally ship aircraft parts to Russian airline companies. As a parallel action, the Commerce Department suspended their export privileges.
Furthermore, Xiangjiang Qiao, also known as Joe Hansen, aged 39, is facing charges announced by prosecutors in New York. He is alleged to have used a Chinese company, which is under American sanctions, to supply materials used in the production of weapons of mass destruction to Iran.
Requests for comment made to the attorneys representing Patsulya and Besedin, who were arrested on May 11, went unanswered at the time. Similarly, an attorney representing Li did not promptly respond to the request for comment. It was not possible for Reuters to ascertain the legal representation for Bogonikolos.
