A dual citizen of China and Canada has been arrested and charged with trying to steal trade secrets from a Massachusetts-based manufacturer of robotic surgical products by trespassing at its headquarters….
A dual citizen of China and Canada has been arrested and charged with trying to steal trade secrets from a Massachusetts-based manufacturer of robotic surgical products by trespassing at its headquarters.
Dong Liu, who authorities said claimed to be a patent lawyer with a Beijing-based law firm when he was questioned about what he was doing at Medrobotics Corp, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in Boston federal court on Thursday.
The 44-year-old man was charged with one count of attempting to steal trade secrets and one count of attempting to intentionally access a computer without authorisation.
A federal magistrate judge ordered Liu held without bail pending a hearing on Wednesday. Neither his lawyer nor Medrobotics responded to requests for comment.
The case comes amid heightened concern about Chinese theft of US trade secrets. US President Donald Trump earlier this month authorised an inquiry into China’s alleged theft of intellectual property.
Trump launches US probe into ‘unlawful’ China trade practices, raising spectre of trade war
Liu was arrested on Monday by police in Raynham, Massachusetts, after the chief executive of privately held Medrobotics discovered Liu in a company conference room as he was leaving for the night, according to charging documents.
