Three Silicon Valley engineers have been indicted on federal charges accusing them of conspiring to steal trade secrets from Google and other leading technology companies and transferring sensitive data to unauthorized locations, including Iran.
A federal grand jury in the Northern District of California returned the indictment (hyperlink), which was unsealed Thursday. Prosecutors allege the defendants used their positions at mobile processor companies to access and exfiltrate confidential information tied to processor security, cryptography, and related advanced technologies.
According to the Justice Department:
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.
The indictment alleges that materials were transferred to third-party platforms, personal devices, other employers’ work systems, and locations, including Iran. The alleged transfer of advanced semiconductor security and cryptography data to Iran adds a national security dimension to what would otherwise be a corporate trade secrets case, given longstanding U.S. sanctions and export controls aimed at limiting Tehran’s access to sensitive technologies.
The defendants, Samaneh Ghandali, 41, Mohammadjavad Khosravi, also known as Mohammad Khosravi, 40, and Soroor Ghandali, 32, all of San Jose, were arrested Thursday and made their initial appearances in federal district court in San Jose.
The indictment describes how, while employed at Google, Samaneh Ghandali allegedly transferred hundreds of files, including Google trade secrets, to a third-party communications platform. Soroor Ghandali is accused of transferring additional Google files to the same channels. Prosecutors allege the materials were later copied to personal devices and to work devices associated with the other defendants’ employers.
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Authorities further allege that after Google’s internal security systems detected suspicious activity and revoked Samaneh Ghandali’s access in August 2023, the defendants continued accessing trade secret materials stored on personal devices and manually photographing confidential screens over the course of months.
According to the indictment, the activity allegedly continued even as the defendants prepared to travel abroad:
On the night before Samaneh Ghandali and Khosravi traveled to Iran in December 2023, Samaneh Ghandali allegedly manually captured with her mobile phone approximately 24 photographs of Khosravi’s work computer screen containing Company 2 trade secret information.
Federal officials also allege efforts to conceal the activity, including submitting false signed affidavits to victim companies and deleting or attempting to delete communications and records.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani said in the release:
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.
The defendants are scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 20 for the identification of counsel. An indictment is an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, each faces up to 10 years in prison per trade secret count and up to 20 years for obstruction of justice.
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