Key Takeaways

• During and shortly after his employment at a large U.S. defense contractor, a Chinese-US dual citizen downloaded thousands of export-controlled and proprietary files from the company’s secure server onto multiple hard drives, some of which remain at large.
• The files included manufacturing specifications and test results for two sophisticated types of sensors used for space-based detection and tracking of threats, suitable for tracking ballistic and hypersonic missiles.
• The files included assembly designs and engineering specifications for a specialized vacuum-sealed, cooling enclosure to further protect the radiation-hardened sensors in space. 
• While it is not explicitly stated that he acted at the direction of the Chinese government, it appears likely that Gong intended to utilize the information he stole to benefit the Chinese military. 

Overview of Charges

The Central District of California and the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting Chenguang Gong, a dual citizen of the United States and the People’s Republic of China, on three counts of trade secret theft and one count of false statements.[1]  Gong entered into a plea agreement on July 17, 2025.[2] 

The Scheme

Between March 30 and April 25, 2023, Gong worked as an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit manager for a private U.S. defense contractor, identified in court documents as the “Victim Company.”  Gong transferred over 3,600 confidential computer-aided design (CAD) files from the Victim Company’s secure UNIX system to his work laptop, then to three personal storage devices: a Verbatim flash drive and two Western Digital external hard drives.  

The Victim Company, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Defense, invests millions of dollars yearly to develop sensor technologies, particularly those pertaining to space-based missile warning and tracking, space-based surveillance, and airborne infrared countermeasure systems.  

While working for the Victim Company, Gong accepted a job at a direct competitor in the infrared sensor field, identified in court documents as “Company 1,” around April 5, 2023.  After accepting this job offer, Gong continued to access and transfer files in violation of the company’s protocols.  The Victim Company became suspicious of Gong’s activity, and officially terminated his employment on April 23, 2023, after an internal investigation, during which Gong falsely claimed not to possess the stolen files.  In this way, Gong knowingly violated the Victim Company’s security protocols.  The FBI successfully recovered some of the materials, but two of the hard drives remain at large.  

In particular, Gong stole product and user libraries, technical test results, design specifications, simulation data, and proprietary documents with the following labels: 

• "PROPRIETARY INFORMATION"
• "EXPORT CONTROLLED"
• "FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY"
• “[VICTIM COMPANY] PROPRIETARY”

Of the files stolen, three represented the most critical threat to U.S. national security priorities, as they contained information on core proprietary technologies used in space-based and military infrared sensor systems.

First, Gong stole dedicated CAD design files, manufacturing specifications, and testing results related to a Serrano Technology Readout Integrated Circuit.  This circuit is utilized for missile warning and tracking in space environments, as it features a high dynamic range to detect threats in low-visibility, time-of-flight capabilities to measure the speed and distance of threats, and infrared search and track abilities.  

Second, Gong stole product and user libraries, implementation blueprints, issue logs, and test results related to an Anaheim Technology Readout Integrated Circuit. Similar to the Serrano Integrated Circuit, the Anaheim Technology products are used to detect missile launches as well as to track ballistic and hypersonic missiles.  These circuits are critical because they offer high sensitivity, a wide field of view, a small pixel pitch, and integrated command/data handling.  Further, they are radiation hardened for space usage.  

Finally, Gong stole mechanical assembly designs and engineering specifications for Integrated Dewar Cooler Assemblies.  These assemblies are used to enclose and cryogenically cool the aforementioned Serrano and Anaheim sensors, maintaining sensor performance in space by managing heat outputs.  

Prior to his employment at the Victim Company, Gong worked for several U.S. technology companies.  Directly before his employment at the Victim Company, Gong worked as a complementary metal oxide semiconductor image sensor design manager for the U.S. subsidiary of an international defense, aerospace, and security company located in San Jose, California.

It is believed that Gong’s conduct was motivated, at least in part, by cooperation with the Chinese government.  Despite having falsely claimed during an FBI interview that he had only applied for a Chinese “Talent Program” once, in a non-military capacity, a later investigation revealed that Gong applied to at least 8 “Talent Programs” between 2014 and 2022, for which he explicitly expressed interest in developing military technologies.[3]   

In the process of applying for these “Talent Programs,” Gong travelled to China several times, seeking funding in order to develop sophisticated analog-to-digital converters.  Gong remarked that he “took a risk” by traveling to China to participate in the Talent Programs because of his connection to an “American military industry company.”[4] He specifically submitted proposals to develop high-end, military-use technologies based on his experiences at U.S.-based defense firms.  

Gong’s sentencing is scheduled for September 29, 2025, at which point he will face a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.