Four individuals were also indicted, including one vice president of the accused Chinese company.
The defendant allegedly targeted a Phillips facility in Aurora, Illinois, according to the charges.
According to the charges, Phillips closed the Dundee facility in Aurora in 2018.
Two defendants – China-based Kunshan Guoli Electronic Technology and its vice president, Xiaoqin Du, 63, have established a rival X-ray tube development company in Aurora. In 2017, Kunshan Guoli and Du recruited and hired three engineers from the Aurora facility in Philips and began working for a Chinese-established company in Aurora in January 2018.
Three engineers – Chihee Jen, 69, of Mekong, Wisconsin. Aurora’s Fince tendon, 56 years old. Vladimir Nevnenko, 76, of Arlington Heights, Illinois, was also known as the defendant.
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Jen began working for Phillips around 2006 and resigned from the company in December 2017. Before the employment was terminated, Jen reportedly made a copy of X-ray trade secret information from Phillips’ internal database without approval and acted on behalf of Kunshanguli. Indicted.
Jen is said to have shared the stolen information with endian and Nevnenko. Prosecutors said all three used stolen items for work in a company founded in China.
According to the indictment, Tendon and Nevnenko began working at Phillips around 1998.
Prosecutors said the Chinese-based company in Aurora was dissolved in November 2022.
Additionally, Jen allegedly used the stolen trade secret for his job in Kunshan Yiyuan Medical Technology, another defendant appointed in the charges.
According to the indictment, Gri founded Yiyuan in May 2018 and moved its medical x-ray business to a new company.
China’s state-run media outlet Xinhua has defined “Unicorn Companies” as a startup valued at over $1 billion. In May 2024, Beijing reported that it had 369 unicorn companies following government-led efforts to nurture companies in the science and technology sector.
“Beijing is actively building a long-term ecosystem to support the growth of unicorn companies,” Xinhua said. “Last year, we maximized the release of policy dividends for unicorn companies in terms of innovation support, talent settlement, financial support and market cultivation.”
All six defendants have been charged with conspiracy to illegally own trade secrets. Jen faces an additional fee for possessing or attempting to possess a stolen trade secret.
During his arrest in federal court in Chicago, Jen, Tendon and Nevnenko pleaded not guilty.
Tendon lawyer Thomas RainenWebber told the Epoch Times via email that his client was innocent.
“My clients were dedicated employees and did not commit any kind of fraud or criminal activity.
I don’t know if the other defendants have an attorney.
