U.S.-China citizen pleads guilty to stealing U.S. missile blueprints

A California resident with connections to Chinese government recruitment programs has pleaded guilty to stealing sensitive U.S. military technology used to detect nuclear missile launches and track hypersonic weapons, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

Chenguang Gong, 59, of San Jose, admitted to transferring thousands of confidential files from a Southern California defense contractor during a brief period of employment in 2023.

The files included blueprints for advanced infrared sensors used in U.S. space-based missile detection systems and technologies designed to help fighter jets detect and evade heat-seeking missiles.

Gong, a dual citizen of the United States and China, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of trade secrets.

According to court documents, Gong was hired in January 2023 as a manager responsible for designing integrated circuits for infrared sensors. Between late March and his termination on April 26, he copied more than 3,600 files from his work laptop to personal storage devices—over 1,800 of them after he had already accepted a job with a competing company.

The stolen data included proprietary designs for missile detection systems, classified as trade secrets and marked with designations such as “PROPRIETARY INFORMATION” and “EXPORT CONTROLLED.”

Prosecutors said the information was among the company’s most valuable assets and estimated the potential loss at more than $3.5 million.

Federal investigators also found that Gong had applied to multiple Chinese government “Talent Programs” between 2014 and 2022—initiatives aimed at recruiting experts in advanced technologies to support China’s economic and military goals. During those years, Gong held positions at several major U.S. technology companies.

In one application, he proposed developing high-performance analog-to-digital converters for use in radar and missile navigation systems. In another, he outlined plans for “low light/night vision” image sensors for military use.

Gong traveled to China multiple times to seek funding for these projects and, in a 2019 email, acknowledged taking a “risk” by participating in the programs while working for an American defense company.

Gong remains free on a $1.75 million bond following his guilty plea and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 29. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison.