Former Apple automobile engineer pleads responsible to commerce secret theft | Economic system
Prosecutors alleged employee downloaded plans for Apple’s self-driving program earlier than reserving last-minute flight to China.
A former Apple engineer has pleaded responsible to commerce secret theft — one in every of two folks accused of stealing commerce secrets and techniques from the iPhone maker’s nascent self-driving automobile program.
United States federal prosecutors have alleged that Xiaolang Zhang downloaded the plan for a circuit board for Apple’s self-driving system after disclosing his intentions to work for a Chinese language self-driving automobile startup and reserving a last-minute flight to China.
He was arrested on the San Jose airport after he handed by means of a safety checkpoint.
Zhang initially pleaded not responsible to the costs, however in accordance with courtroom paperwork on Monday, he had reached a plea take care of prosecutors and altered his plea to responsible. The plea deal is sealed and sentencing is ready for November.
Zhang’s lawyer confirmed the plea settlement however declined additional remark. Apple and the US Division of Justice didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Jizhong Chen, the opposite former Apple engineer charged with commerce secret theft, has pleaded not responsible. He has a courtroom listening to set for August 29.
