San Francisco, February 3: A federal jury has convicted 38-year-old Linwei Ding on seven counts of economic espionage and seven counts of theft of trade secrets. The verdict follows an 11-day trial detailing how the former software engineer exfiltrated thousands of pages of confidential information from Google’s network to benefit entities in the People’s Republic of China.

The stolen data concerned the fundamental building blocks of Google’s artificial intelligence infrastructure. This included detailed architecture for Tensor Processing Unit chips, Graphics Processing Unit systems, and the software orchestration required to operate AI supercomputers. Prosecutors demonstrated that Ding began his theft in May 2022, continuing the activity for nearly a year. Epstein Files: S*X Offender Jeffrey Epstein Received Sacred Kaaba Cloth From UAE.

Google AI Technology Theft

Evidence presented during the trial revealed that while Ding was employed by Google, he secretly affiliated himself with two technology firms based in China. By June 2022, he was in discussions to become the Chief Technology Officer for a Chinese start-up, and by early 2023, he had founded his own AI-focused company, serving as its Chief Executive Officer.

Ding’s efforts to monetise the stolen intellectual property involved direct appeals to investors. He reportedly claimed he could replicate Google’s supercomputing power by modifying the stolen technology. His actions were further tied to Chinese government initiatives, including an application for a state-sponsored "talent plan" intended to boost the technological capabilities of the PRC.

Economic Espionage Verdict Details

Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg described the case as a "calculated breach of trust" occurring at a pivotal moment for AI development. This case represents the first-ever conviction on AI-related economic espionage charges, highlighting increased federal scrutiny on the protection of American intellectual capital in the Silicon Valley corridor. Epstein Files: British Politician Peter Mandelson Faces Pressure To Quit House of Lords Over Jeffrey Epstein Ties.

Ding faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison for each count of trade secret theft and 15 years for each count of economic espionage. Following the jury’s verdict, Ding is scheduled for a status conference today, February 3, 2026, to determine the next steps in his sentencing process.

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