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Ex-Google Engineer Found Guilty of Stealing AI Secrets for China
Last Updated: January 30, 2026
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Key Takeaways
- Former Google engineer Linwei “Leon” Ding was convicted of stealing over 2,000 pages of AI data tied to projects in China;
- The DOJ called it one of its most serious tech theft cases, with 14 total charges including espionage and trade-secret theft;
- Ding faces up to 15 years per espionage count after copying AI chip and system files while building his own China-based AI firm.
A former Google software engineer has been found guilty of stealing confidential artificial intelligence (AI) data and attempting to use it for projects linked to China.
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) described the case as one of its most serious incidents of technology theft.
The engineer, Linwei Ding, also known as Leon Ding, was convicted in San Francisco after an 11-day trial. He faced 14 total charges, seven for economic espionage and seven for stealing trade secrets, according to a statement from the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California.
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Ding’s actions occurred between May 2022 and April 2023, while he worked as a software engineer with access to sensitive systems. Investigators found that he moved over 2,000 pages of internal AI documentation from company systems to his personal Google Cloud account.
At the same time, Ding was reportedly involved in his own AI projects. He discussed becoming the chief technology officer of a Chinese startup in mid-2022, and later launched his own AI firm by early 2023.
Each count of economic espionage could result in up to 15 years in prison, while each theft charge could bring up to 10 years. A court hearing is planned for February 3.
US Attorney Craig H. Missakian said in a statement, “The jury delivered a clear message today that the theft of this valuable technology will not go unpunished".
Recently, the DOJ completed the legal process to take control of more than $400 million in assets formerly tied to Helix. How did the case unfold? Read the full story.
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