Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

FBI charges former Apple employee with stealing trade secrets from self-driving car project
The Verge ^ | Jul 10, 2018 | Sean O'Kane

Posted on 07/11/2018 1:29:06 PM PDT by Governor Dinwiddie

An engineer who worked on Apple’s secretive autonomous car project allegedly stole trade secrets for a Chinese car startup backed by Alibaba, according to new charges filed by the FBI.

Xiaolang Zhang, who worked for Apple from December 2015 until May 2018, has been charged in federal court with stealing trade secrets, and faces 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. Zhang was arrested trying to leave the country this past weekend. The news was first reported by The Mercury News.

“Apple takes confidentiality and the protection of our intellectual property very seriously,” a spokesperson for the company said in a statement to The Verge. “We’re working with authorities on this matter and will do everything possible to make sure this individual and any other individuals involved are held accountable for their actions.”

Zhang designed and tested circuit boards as part of the

(Excerpt) Read more at theverge.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: aliens; china; espionage; h1b; spying
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021 next last
Just how stupid can we be? We've known for at least the last 20 years that every Chinese national working in the USA is an agent of the Chinese government. Apple must be as stupid as they come.
1 posted on 07/11/2018 1:29:07 PM PDT by Governor Dinwiddie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Governor Dinwiddie

So is Telsa. Announced today production will be in China.


2 posted on 07/11/2018 1:31:26 PM PDT by DownInFlames (Gals)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Governor Dinwiddie

Just doing those jobs Americans “won’t”.


3 posted on 07/11/2018 1:32:15 PM PDT by a fool in paradise (Spygate's clock began in 2015 - what did President Obama know and when did he know it)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Governor Dinwiddie

Yes, every Chinese AND every Indian worker. Kick them and their families out!!!!


4 posted on 07/11/2018 1:32:50 PM PDT by Reno89519 (No Amnesty! No Catch-and-Release! Just Say No to All Illegal Aliens! Arrest & Deport!y)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Governor Dinwiddie

Diversity trumps stupidity evidently.


5 posted on 07/11/2018 1:32:58 PM PDT by who_would_fardels_bear
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Governor Dinwiddie

I’ve read this article a couple of times and it doesn’t say whether or not he delivered them, electronically or otherwise. If that is the case, then the company should get the death penalty. Cut them out of American business and anyone this technology gets transferred to.


6 posted on 07/11/2018 1:33:48 PM PDT by steel_resolve (And an angel still rides in the whirlwind and directs this storm)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Governor Dinwiddie
Also, H-1b trumps stupidity.

Apple would rather save a few bucks and hope for the best rather than employ Americans at full salary.

7 posted on 07/11/2018 1:34:02 PM PDT by who_would_fardels_bear
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Governor Dinwiddie

Isn’t Apple putting its cloud server in China?


8 posted on 07/11/2018 1:37:19 PM PDT by RushIsMyTeddyBear
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Governor Dinwiddie

Meanwhile, the Chingchangs HAVE the ifo they wanted from Apple; the perp spends a year or two in stir, and then goes back to China a semi-hero for the Party.


9 posted on 07/11/2018 1:37:30 PM PDT by Tucker39 ("It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible." George Washington)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Governor Dinwiddie

““Apple takes confidentiality and the protection of our intellectual property very seriously,” a spokesperson for the company said in a statement to The Verge. “We’re working with authorities on this matter and will do everything possible to make sure this individual and any other individuals involved are held accountable for their actions.””

Yeah, that’s why you’re so all into into hiring Ch*nks! I worked at another SV high-tech company where we had a real problem “teaching the Chinese clean room workers how, when you take a pi$$, you need to put the seat up! “ After every break, we were having to send the janitors into the men’s restrooms to clean up the stalls. They simply pee’ed in the general direction of the toilets.


10 posted on 07/11/2018 1:39:22 PM PDT by vette6387
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: vette6387
They're just trying to figure out what all that porcelain is doing in the way:


11 posted on 07/11/2018 1:41:25 PM PDT by bigbob (Trust Sessions. Trust the Plan.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Governor Dinwiddie

But if we were to act appropriately given what we KNOW, we would be profiling. Very UN-pc. Remember, diversity is our strength. (I can’t believe I typed that with a straight face, well, almost)


12 posted on 07/11/2018 1:42:32 PM PDT by liberalh8ter (The only difference between flash mob 'urban yutes' and U.S. politicians is the hoodies.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: steel_resolve
#6: "it doesn’t say whether or not he delivered them, electronically or otherwise."

From the story, it seems he transferred over half of the documents to his wife's computer electronically via something called "Air Drop". I think it's reasonable to assume that all data transmitted electronically has been transferred to China by now. This horse is already out of the barn.

The only thing that will deter this sort of crime are lengthy prison sentences with no parole. Five years is not enough. A young person can figure they can chill for five years if there is a couple of million dollars "back pay" on the other side. I see 15 years minimum as a reasonable deterent, perhaps 30 years max.
 

13 posted on 07/11/2018 1:45:20 PM PDT by Governor Dinwiddie (MAGA in the mornin', MAGA in the evenin', MAGA at suppertime . . .)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: who_would_fardels_bear

Sounds like the theme song for the whole 0bama era!


14 posted on 07/11/2018 2:03:17 PM PDT by NEMDF
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Governor Dinwiddie

How did I know the thief was Chinese? Not racist, it’s just what they are doing. It’s part of their culture, to steal intellectual property for the homeland and for their own personal businesses.


15 posted on 07/11/2018 2:34:54 PM PDT by Theo (FReeping since 1998 ... drain the swamp.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: vette6387

“They simply pee’ed in the general direction of the toilets.”

That is why the coed restrooms movement will fail. Can you imagine the reaction of women?


16 posted on 07/11/2018 2:42:55 PM PDT by alternatives? (Why have an army if there are no borders?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Reno89519

Speaking of which Amazon customer service is totally outsourced. I think its Indian.


17 posted on 07/11/2018 2:45:05 PM PDT by Okeydoker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: bigbob

I just couldn’t do that..


18 posted on 07/11/2018 2:53:48 PM PDT by neverevergiveup
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Governor Dinwiddie

Silicon Valley is filled with Chinese workers Thursday leaving the place blind. Cheap labor you know.


19 posted on 07/11/2018 2:57:10 PM PDT by tinamina
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Governor Dinwiddie

Intel constantly had problems with Chinese and Indian engineers stealing IP and Trade Secrets.
BTW, Trade Secrets are considered so secret, companies refuse to Trademark, Patent or Copyright them.

Most employees don’t have access to Trade Secrets for exactly this reason.

I did for awhile at Intel and was told in a meeting that if I wanted to spend time in prison, tell someone it.
I’m still a free man and still never told anyone it.


20 posted on 07/11/2018 3:00:52 PM PDT by Zathras
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson