US Engineers Arrested for Stealing Google Trade Secrets for Iran

Three Silicon Valley engineers have been arrested in the United States for allegedly stealing trade secrets from prominent technology companies and transferring them to Iran. The suspects, identified as Samaneh Ghandali, Mohammad Khosravi, and Soroor Ghandali, are accused of illicitly obtaining and transmitting confidential documents, including sensitive data related to processor security and design.

The Justice Department announced the arrests and the federal grand jury indictment on charges of trade secret theft and obstruction of justice. Investigations revealed that the engineers, who had previously worked for companies like Google and possibly Intel and Qualcomm, allegedly downloaded internal files and photographed proprietary information.

These documents contained technical details about processor architecture, security features, and cryptography, including specific information on Google's Tensor processors used in Pixel smartphones. The scheme reportedly involved transferring this data to a third-party platform outside the U.S. before the suspects traveled to Iran in December 2023.

If convicted, the individuals face substantial prison sentences, with penalties for conspiracy to commit trade secret theft carrying up to 10 years per count, and obstruction of justice charges up to 20 years. The suspects were apprehended on Thursday and appeared before a federal court in San Jose.