Business

Motorola developer faces prison for secrets theft

Posted July 19, 2012 8:41 am

Associated Press

A Chinese-born software developer is set to be sentenced for stealing trade secrets from Motorola Inc.

Hanjuan Jin was found guilty in February of taking more than 1,000 confidential documents from the Motorola office where she worked before attempting to board a flight to China. She was stopped during a random security search at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport on Feb. 28, 2007.

The 41-year-old will be sentenced Thursday. She faces up to 30 years in prison.

Prosecutors said she was carrying descriptions of a walkie-talkie cellphone feature that prosecutors argued could benefit the Chinese military.

The trial highlighted persistent fears about China pilfering vital information from U.S. companies.

Jin’s lawyers say she merely grabbed the files to refresh her technical knowledge after a long absence from work.

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