Federal prosecutors: Chinese company stole from Motorola Solutions

Several unnamed former employees of Motorola Solutions and a Chinese communications company have been indicted by a federal grand jury on allegations they conspired to steal digital radio technology from the Chicago-based company.

According to court records, Chinese-based Hytera Communications Corp. LTD. is accused of recruiting and hiring Motorola Solutions employees, who then were directed to "take proprietary and trade secret information from Motorola without authorization."

The 28-page, partially sealed indictment includes multiple email exchanges between the now-former employees describing plans to "grab whatever we can" about Motorola's proprietary digital mobile radio technology, or walkie-talkies, before leaving for Hytera.

Prosecutors allege the conspiracy ran from 2007 through 2020.

According to the indictment, Hytera paid the recruits higher salaries and benefits than Motorola.

The company and unnamed individual defendants also face charges of possession or attempted possession of stolen trade secrets.

Hytera's arraignment in federal court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled, authorities said in an announcement of the indictments. If convicted, the company faces a potential criminal fine of three times the value of the stolen trade secrets to the company, including expenses for research, design, and other costs that it allegedly avoided.