Five family members allegedly worked together to copy and encrypt technical information on U.S. warship technologies in preparation for a "surreptitious delivery" to China.
By Sharon Gaudin
InformationWeek
Nov 6, 2006 12:49 PM
Government prosecutors are preparing for a hearing next week in a case in which five family members are charged with conspiring to export U.S. defense information to China.
Chi Mak, 66, of Downey, Calif., was an engineer with Power Paragon, a Navy contractor. He allegedly collected technical information about U.S. warship technologies, and then he and his wife, Rebecca Laiwah Chiu, copied it onto CD-ROMs. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, another family member then allegedly encrypted the defense data in preparation for a "surreptitious delivery" to the People's Republic of China.
A report from the DOJ contends that Chi Mak received ''task lists'' that requested specific defense-related information, including information on Naval research into nuclear-powered submarines.
A federal grand jury named all five family members in an indictment that adds counts of conspiracy to export U.S. defense articles to China, attempted and actual export of U.S. defense articles to China, possession of property in aid of a foreign government, and making false statements to federal government investigators.
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