Three Silicon Valley engineers have been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of orchestrating a scheme to steal trade secrets from Google and other leading technology firms, allegedly funneling sensitive data to Iran. The arrests of Samaneh Ghandali, 41, her sister Soroor Ghandali, 32, and Soroor’s husband, Mohammadjavad Khosravi, 40, all residents of San Jose, mark a significant development in the ongoing battle against corporate espionage.
Prosecutors revealed that the trio, identified as Iranian nationals, face a barrage of charges including conspiracy to commit trade secret theft, theft and attempted theft of trade secrets, and obstruction of justice. Soroor Ghandali was reportedly in the U.S. on a student visa, while Samaneh Ghandali had since become a U.S. citizen. Khosravi, her husband, held legal permanent resident status, and prosecutors noted his prior service in the Iranian army.
The indictment alleges that the defendants leveraged their specialized knowledge and access within the semiconductor industry to abscond with hundreds of confidential files. These documents reportedly included highly sensitive materials related to processor security and advanced cryptography, crucial components in the development of cutting-edge mobile computing technology.
Samaneh and Soroor Ghandali were employed at Google before moving to a third, unnamed technology company. Khosravi, meanwhile, worked at a separate firm, identified only as Company 2, which is a key player in the development of system-on-chip (SoC) platforms, such as the widely recognized Snapdragon series that powers a vast array of smartphones and other mobile devices. SoCs are sophisticated semiconductor integrated circuits that consolidate multiple components, including graphics processing units and memory, into a single, power-efficient package, forming the central nervous system of modern mobile devices.
Google, in a statement, confirmed that its internal security protocols flagged the alleged illicit activity. “We have enhanced safeguards to protect our confidential information and immediately alerted law enforcement after discovering this incident,” a company spokesperson stated, underscoring the company’s proactive measures in detecting and reporting such breaches. The tech giant highlighted its robust security framework, which includes stringent access controls for sensitive data, multi-factor authentication for work accounts, and diligent logging of data transfers to external platforms.
Authorities detailed a sophisticated operation designed to evade detection. The defendants are accused of routing stolen data through third-party communication channels, seemingly to personal accounts before exfiltrating it to personal devices, each other’s work equipment, and ultimately, to Iran.
“The method in which confidential data was transferred by the defendants involved deliberate steps to evade detection and conceal their identities,” commented an FBI Special Agent in Charge, emphasizing the calculated nature of the alleged theft. The scheme reportedly continued even after Google’s internal systems identified Samaneh Ghandali’s suspicious activity and revoked her access in August 2023.
According to the indictment, Samaneh Ghandali subsequently submitted a false affidavit, denying any unauthorized sharing of Google’s confidential information. During this period, a laptop associated with both Samaneh and Khosravi was allegedly used to research methods for deleting digital communications and to investigate the data retention policies of mobile carriers.
In a particularly concerning revelation, the couple is accused of circumventing digital monitoring tools by photographing hundreds of computer screens containing confidential information from both Google and Company 2. The night before a trip to Iran in December 2023, Samaneh allegedly captured approximately 24 images of Khosravi’s work computer, documenting proprietary trade secrets pertaining to Company 2’s Snapdragon SoCs.
Prosecutors assert that while in Iran, a device linked to Samaneh accessed these photographic records, while Khosravi allegedly accessed additional proprietary information from Company 2, including details about Snapdragon SoC hardware architecture. The indictment emphasizes the significant independent economic value of these Snapdragon SoC trade secrets, noting that their disclosure or unauthorized use by competitors could provide substantial advantages.
If convicted on all counts, each defendant faces substantial penalties, including up to 10 years in prison for each trade secret charge and up to 20 years for obstruction of justice, alongside considerable fines.
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