On the day the new Google Cloud data center in Hesse, Hanau opened in October 2023, a Google sign was displayed in front of the building.
The arrest of Linwei Ding, a former Google software engineer, took place on Wednesday in Newark, California, on suspicion of stealing industry secrets related to AI from the company. The US Department of Justice stated that Ding, a Taiwanese national, allegedly engaged in fraudulent activities while collaborating covertly with two Chinese-based companies.
Having joined Google in 2019, Ding, who had access to sensitive information concerning the company’s data centers, began transferring significant amounts of data to a specific Google Cloud account two years ago.
The indictment reveals that the trade secrets Ding purportedly appropriated encompassed detailed insights into the layout and performance of GPU and TPU chips and systems, the software facilitating chip communication and task execution, as well as the technology coordinating numerous chips to operate at the forefront of machine learning and AI advancements.
Shortly after the alleged misconduct commenced, Ding was offered the position of chief technology officer at an emerging Chinese tech firm that emphasized its utilization of AI systems. He received a monthly salary of approximately $14,800, along with an annual bonus and company stock. Reports suggest that Ding traveled to China, participated in investor meetings, and endeavored to secure funding for the business.
Investigators scrutinized security footage revealing another individual inspecting Ding’s name badge at the entrance of the Google workplace, creating the illusion that he was physically present while operating from his office.
Moreover, the indictment discloses that Ding established and operated as the CEO of a separate China-based enterprise dedicated to advancing “large Artificial models powered by supercomputing cards.” Allegedly, Ding failed to disclose his youthfulness and the information he possessed to Google. He parted ways with Google on December 26 of that year.
In January, the FBI confiscated Ding’s electronic devices and subsequently obtained a search warrant to delve into his personal records. Officials claim that Ding illicitly appropriated over 500 classified documents from Google. According to the indictment, Ding transferred the documents to the Apple Notes application on his Google-issued Apple MacBook, converted them into PDF files, and uploaded them to an external account to evade detection.
Google spokesperson José Castañeda informed Ars Technica, “We have stringent measures in place to safeguard our confidential corporate data and trade secrets.” “Following an inquiry, we uncovered that this individual had purloined several documents, prompting us to promptly escalate the matter to law enforcement. We are grateful for the FBI’s intervention in safeguarding our data, and we will continue to collaborate closely with them.”
During a gathering of the American Bar Association in San Francisco, Attorney General Merrick Garland presented the case against the 38-year-old Ding. He faces four charges of federal trade secret theft, each carrying a maximum sentence of up to ten years in prison.
