A former Southern California defense contractor has admitted to stealing sophisticated military technology worth hundreds of millions of dollars, marking a significant case of industrial espionage with national security implications.
Chenguang Gong, 59, a dual U.S.-China citizen from San Jose, pleaded guilty to theft of trade secrets involving cutting-edge infrared sensor technology designed for missile detection and defense systems.
Sophisticated Military Technology Targeted
Gong’s criminal activities centered on the theft of highly classified application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) designs and readout integrated circuit blueprints from his Los Angeles-area employer.
During his brief tenure from January to April 2023 as an ASIC design manager, Gong systematically transferred over 3,600 proprietary files to personal storage devices.
The stolen technology included sophisticated infrared sensors designed for space-based missile detection systems capable of tracking ballistic and hypersonic missiles, as well as advanced countermeasure systems enabling U.S. fighter aircraft to detect and evade heat-seeking missiles.
The compromised files contained blueprints for next-generation sensors designed to detect low-observable targets while maintaining increased survivability in space environments.
Additionally, Gong stole mechanical assembly designs for cryogenic cooling systems used to house the company’s sensitive infrared detection equipment.
These technologies represent critical components of America’s missile defense infrastructure, with the stolen intellectual property valued at hundreds of millions of dollars and marked with classifications including “FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY” and “EXPORT CONTROLLED”.
China’s Talent Programs Facilitated Technology Transfer
Court documents reveal Gong’s extensive involvement in China’s government-sponsored talent recruitment programs spanning nearly a decade.
Between 2014 and 2022, while employed at major U.S. technology companies, Gong submitted multiple applications to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) Talent Programs designed to identify individuals with expertise in advanced sciences and technologies.
In a 2014 business proposal written in Chinese, Gong outlined plans to develop high-performance analog-to-digital converters similar to those produced by his Dallas-based employer.
Gong’s talent program applications specifically highlighted military applications, noting that high-performance analog-to-digital converters “directly determine the accuracy and range of radar systems” and are essential components in “missile navigation systems”.
He traveled to China multiple times seeking funding, acknowledging in a 2019 email that he “took a risk” participating in these programs while working for “an American military industry company”.
Legal Consequences and National Security Response
Gong faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison when sentenced on September 29, with prosecutors estimating the intended economic loss exceeds $3.5 million.
The case represents a coordinated law enforcement response involving the FBI’s Los Angeles and San Francisco Field Offices, the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, and Homeland Security Investigations.
This prosecution underscores the ongoing threat posed by foreign talent recruitment programs targeting American defense technologies and the government’s commitment to protecting critical national security assets from industrial espionage.
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