Federal Indictment Alleges Silicon Valley Engineers Sent Sensitive Processor Data to Iran – RedState
Three Silicon Valley engineers have been indicted by the federal government, accusing them of conspiring to steal trade secrets from Google and other big tech companies and moving sensitive data to unauthorized locations, including Iran.
A federal grand jury in the Northern District of California returned the indictment (hyperlink), which was unsealed Thursday. Prosecutors allege that the defendants used their positions at mobile processor companies to access and exfiltrate confidential information related to processor security, cryptography and related advanced technologies.
According to the Department of Justice:
As noted, the defendants exploited their position to steal confidential trade secrets from their employers. Our office will continue to lead the way in protecting American innovation, and we will vigorously pursue individuals who steal sensitive advanced technologies for improper gain or for the benefit of countries that wish us harm.
The indictment alleges that materials were transferred to third-party platforms, personal devices, other employers’ work systems, and locations, including in Iran. The alleged transfer of advanced semiconductor security and cryptography data to Iran adds a national security dimension to what would otherwise be a matter of corporate trade secrets, given long-standing U.S. sanctions and export controls aimed at limiting Tehran’s access to sensitive technologies.
The defendants, Samaneh Ghandali, 41, Mohammadjavad Khosravi, also known as Mohammad Khosravi, 40, and Soroor Ghandali, 32, all of San Jose, were arrested Thursday and made their first appearance in federal district court in San Jose.
The indictment describes how, while employed at Google, Samaneh Ghandali allegedly transferred hundreds of files, including Google trade secrets, to a third-party communications platform. Soroor Ghandali is accused of uploading additional Google files to the same channels. Prosecutors say the documents were then copied onto personal devices and work devices associated with the other defendants’ employers.
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Authorities further allege that after Google’s internal security systems detected suspicious activity and revoked Samaneh Ghandali’s access in August 2023, the defendants continued to access trade secret documents stored on personal devices and manually photograph confidential screens for months.
According to the indictment, the activity continued even as the defendants prepared to travel abroad:
The night before Samaneh Ghandali and Khosravi traveled to Iran in December 2023, Samaneh Ghandali allegedly manually captured with her cell phone approximately 24 photographs of Khosravi’s work computer screen containing Company 2 trade secret information.
Federal officials also allege efforts to conceal the activity, including submitting false signed affidavits to victim companies and deleting or attempting to delete communications and records.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani said in the release:
The alleged actions described in this indictment reflect a calculated betrayal of trust by individuals accused of stealing trade secrets from the very technology companies that employed them.
The defendants are scheduled to appear in court on February 20 for the identification of their attorney. An indictment is an allegation, and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. If convicted, each faces up to 10 years in prison on the trade secret charge and up to 20 years on the obstruction of justice charge.
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