Alistair Barr and Kelsey Vlamis
- The Department of Justice (DOJ) has alleged that a Google employee was involved in the theft of sensitive AI systems.
- Linwei Ding, who was apprehended on Wednesday, reportedly shared this classified information with Chinese companies.
- Furthermore, the DOJ asserted that during his tenure as a software engineer at Google, he co-established a business in Taiwan.
An individual employed by Google stands accused of illicitly obtaining confidential AI technologies while clandestinely working for tech firms in China, as per the US Department of Justice.
Linwei Ding, also known as Leon Ding, faces four charges of misappropriating trade secrets in the indictment unveiled by the DOJ on Wednesday. Authorities disclosed that he was detained on Wednesday evening in Newark, California, approximately 14 miles away from Google’s Silicon Valley headquarters.
The indictment reveals that Ding, aged 38, pilfered over 500 documents containing intricate details about Google’s AI infrastructure hardware and software, crucial components underpinning the current global proliferation of advanced AI models.
At the time of reporting, Ding had not responded to Business Insider’s request for comment due to an inaccessible internet connection. Information regarding Ding’s legal representation was not immediately accessible.
Prosecutors outlined in the indictment that Ding surreptitiously launched a startup in China without Google’s knowledge and even had a colleague register him at Google’s US offices to conceal his covert employment there.
Safeguarding our proprietary business intelligence and technological expertise is of paramount importance to us. “We promptly escalated the matter to law enforcement upon discovering the extensive document theft by this individual,” stated Google’s José Castaeda to Business Insider. “We are grateful for the FBI’s collaboration in safeguarding our intellectual property, and we remain committed to cooperating with them.”
Castaeda emphasized that the incident involved a lone junior employee and was not indicative of a systemic issue within the company.
According to the indictment, Ding, a Chinese national residing in Newark, commenced his tenure at Google as a tech specialist in 2019, focusing on application development for Google’s multiprocessor data centers.
The accusation details that “Ding was authorized to access Google’s Confidential Information pertaining to technological systems, software applications, and the AI models and algorithms they supported.”
Allegedly, Ding began discreetly transferring sensitive data from Google to his personal Google Cloud account in May 2022.
Federal prosecutors claim that an email from June 2022 revealed the CEO of a China-based tech company offering Ding the role of Chief Technology Officer with a monthly salary of $14,800. The indictment states that Ding engaged in fundraising activities for the said tech company during his stay in China from October 2022 to March 2023.
By May 2023, Ding had established his own AI-focused software company in China and had previously served as the interim CEO as per the indictment.
A document presented to Ding at an investor conference in November 2023 outlined plans to replicate and enhance Google’s ten-thousand-card computing power platform and develop a tailored computational platform suited to China’s specific requirements.
If convicted, Ding could face a $250,000 fine for each charge and a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
Attorney General Merrick Garland, in addressing the indictment, emphasized that “the Department of Justice will not tolerate the theft of artificial intelligence and other sophisticated technologies that could jeopardize our national security.”
On February 28, in a Dutch court, Axel Springer, the parent company of Business Insider, joined 31 other media entities in a $2.3 billion lawsuit against Google, alleging financial losses due to the company’s advertising practices.
