Three Silicon Valley engineers arrested and federally charged for allegedly stealing Google and other tech companies’ trade secrets and transferring sensitive data to Iran
Federal prosecutors have indicted and arrested three Silicon Valley engineers accused of stealing confidential trade secrets including from Google and transferring them to unauthorized locations, including Iran, federal law enforcement announced this week.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, a grand jury in the Northern District of California returned an indictment charging Samaneh Ghandali , Soroor Ghandali and Mohammadjavad “Mohammad” Khosravi with conspiracy to commit trade secret theft, theft and attempted theft of trade secrets, and obstruction of justice.
The trio, all residents of San Jose, California, were arrested on Feb. 19 and made initial court appearances in federal court.
Prosecutors allege the defendants used their roles at Google and other technology firms involved in mobile processor development to access confidential and sensitive data, including information on processor security and cryptographic technologies, and then copied that data to unauthorized third-party platforms, personal devices and locations connected to Iran.
The indictment says that while employed at Google, the defendants exfiltrated hundreds of files containing trade secrets to communication channels bearing their names, then moved that information to personal and work devices, and that some data was accessed from an associated device while in Iran.
It also alleges the trio attempted to conceal their actions by submitting false affidavits, destroying files and obscuring their methods of exfiltration.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian said the case highlights the government’s commitment to “protecting American innovation” and prosecuting those who jeopardize national and economic security by unlawfully stealing advanced technology. FBI officials working on the case emphasized that safeguarding trade secrets from internal threats remains a priority.
If convicted, each defendant faces up to 10 years in prison and fines for each count of conspiracy and trade secret theft, and up to 20 years for the obstruction charge.
This indictment is part of a broader U.S. focus on industrial espionage and tech theft, particularly when sensitive information may be transferred to foreign countries or actors.
