3 Google techies arrested for stealing trade secrets and transferring data to Iran

A massive tech scandal has hit the Silicon Valley. The FBI arrested three Silicon Valley engineers who are facing charges of conspiring to commit trade secret theft from Google and other leading technology companies, theft and attempted theft of trade secrets, and obstruction of justice.

The three engineers – Samaneh Ghandali, 41, Mohammadjavad Khosravi aka Mohammad Khosravi, 40, and Soroor Ghandali, 32, all of San Jose – made their initial appearances in federal district court on Friday afternoon.

According to the indictment filed yesterday and unsealed today, the defendants used their employment at technology companies to obtain access to confidential and sensitive information. It is learnt that the accused exfiltrated confidential and sensitive documents, including trade secrets related to processor security and cryptography and other technologies, from Google and other technology companies to unauthorised third-party and personal locations, including to work devices associated with each other’s employers, and to Iran.

“As alleged, the defendants exploited their positions to steal confidential trade secrets from their employers. Our office will continue to lead the way in protecting American innovation and we will vigorously prosecute individuals who steal sensitive advanced technologies for improper gain or to benefit countries that wish us ill,” said United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian.

How Google trade secrets were transferred to third-party communications platform

“The alleged actions outlined in this indictment reflect a calculated betrayal of trust by individuals accused of stealing trade secrets from the very tech companies that employed them. According to the allegations, the method in which confidential data was transferred by the defendants involved deliberate steps to evade detection and conceal their identities,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani. “Protecting Silicon Valley innovation and defending the groundbreaking technologies that drive our economy and national security is a top priority for the FBI. We will continue to work with our private sector partners to hold accountable anyone who seeks to unlawfully exploit American ingenuity,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani.

While employed at Google, Samaneh Ghandali reportedly transferred hundreds of files, including Google trade secrets, to a third-party communications platform, specifically to channels bearing each of the defendants’ first names.

Likewise, Soroor Ghandali allegedly transferred numerous Google files, including trade secrets, to these channels while employed by Google. These Google trade secrets were later copied to various personal devices and Khosravi’s Company 2 work device, as well as Soroor Ghandali’s Company 3 work device, as per the indictment.

Engineers submitted false, signed affidavits to victim technology companies to hide their act

The engineers allegedly submitted false, signed affidavits to victim technology companies about the conduct and the stolen trade secrets. They destroyed exfiltrated files and other records from electronic devices and concealed the methods of exfiltration to avoid detection by the victim technology companies, according to the indictment.

In 2023, Google’s internal security systems detected Samaneh Ghandali’s activity and Google revoked her access to company resources, following which Ghandali allegedly executed a signed affidavit claiming she had not shared Google’s confidential information with anyone outside the company. It is learnt that Ghandali and Khosravi then began conducting searches and visiting websites about deleting communications and other data, including how long a cell phone provider kept “messages to print out for court.” The couple allegedly continued accessing Google trade secrets that were stored on their personal devices and began manually photographing hundreds of computer screens of Google’s and Company 2’s confidential information over the course of months.

As per the indictment, Samaneh Ghandali allegedly manually captured approximately 24 photographs of Khosravi’s work computer screen containing Company 2 trade secret information on her phone on the night before she and Khosravi traveled to Iran in December 2023. While in Iran, a personal device associated with Samaneh Ghandali accessed these photographs, and Khosravi accessed other Company 2 trade secret information, the Attorney’s Office said.

It may be noted that an indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

But if convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of conspiracy to commit trade secret theft in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1832(a)(5) and theft and attempted theft of trade secrets in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1832(a)(1), (2), (3), and (4), and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the count of obstruction of official proceedings in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c)(1). Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.