Federal prosecutors have indicted three former Google engineers for allegedly stealing sensitive semiconductor and cryptographic trade secrets and routing them to unauthorized locations, including Iran. Samaneh Ghandali, Soroor Ghandali, and Mohammadjavad Khosravi face charges of theft and obstruction, with maximum sentences of 10 and 20 years per count. The case highlights significant national security risks posed by insider threats to critical chip and cryptography intellectual property.
A federal grand jury has charged three Silicon Valley engineers with stealing chip security trade secrets from Google and other companies. The defendants—Samaneh Ghandali, Soroor Ghandali, and Mohammadjavad Khosravi—are accused of conspiracy and theft of trade secrets.
The indictment alleges Samaneh Ghandali transferred hundreds of files containing Google trade secrets to a third-party platform while employed there. Prosecutors state the stolen material involved processor security and cryptography.
The Department of Justice claims the defendants tried to conceal their actions by deleting files and submitting false affidavits. In one episode, Samaneh Ghandali allegedly photographed trade secret information before traveling to Iran, where a device accessed those photos.
An expert noted that the risk to such firms often comes from “trusted insiders, not hackers.” Vincent Liu described insider risk as a persistent structural vulnerability needing constant monitoring.
The case underscores gaps between formal compliance and real-world security resilience. Dyma Budorin argued that standard certifications measure compliance but not necessarily resilience against a determined insider attacker.
All three defendants face up to 10 years for each trade secret count. The obstruction charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
