Ex-GM engineer, husband found guilty of trade-secret theft
Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Automotive News Canada
  • Automotive News Europe
  • Automotive News China
  • Automobilwoche
AN-LOGO-BLUE
Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • Account
  • login
  • HOME
  • NEWS
    • Dealers
    • Automakers & Suppliers
    • News by Brand
    • Cars & Concepts
    • Final Assembly
    • China
    • Shift
    • Mobility Report
    • Special Reports
    • Digital Edition Archive
    • This Week's Issue
    • The 1965 Mustang Shelby GT350 reigned supreme in the Ford Frenzy tournament.
      Shelby GT350 gets its one shining moment
      Dan Parker will pilot his Chevrolet Corvette with a custom guidance system that provides audible feedback.
      Blind racer gets Cruise support, but he'll drive
      You may have won! But no
      The course was planned for a Vermont ski resort, until neighbors shouted the idea down.
      Off-road course for Broncos? Not in my backyard
    • Huawei
      Huawei to invest $1 billion on auto technology
      GAC Motor Co. launched sales of a new full electric crossover, the Aion Y, in March.
      New-vehicle sales rebound 75% in March from virus-hit 2020
      Wuling launched sales of its first pickup, the Zhengtu, on March 18.
      GM Q1 sales rebound but fall short of pre-COVID level
      The Ford Equator SUV arrived in the Chinese market on March 28
      Ford Q1 sales surge 73% over virus-hit 2020
    • VW unit is pumping funds into mobile charging robot
      Companies work smarter, not harder, with logistics-focused robots
      Other industries combine for more bot orders than automakers, suppliers
      Gatik capitalizes on growing demand for shorter-distance deliveries
    • Mobileye Udelv
      Intel's Mobileye teams with startup Udelv on automated delivery
      Nuro Domino's
      Domino's, Nuro to start robot pizza delivery in Houston
      Cruise Origin
      Cruise to deploy robotaxis in Dubai from 2023
      Seattle, Washington
      Seattle drafts blueprint to electrify transportation by 2030
    • Elon Musk interview
      Tesla’s Model Y, on sale since March, is a showcase of EV technologies competitors will benchmark.
      Technologies of Electrification
      Cadillac’s Lyriq EV will be unveiled Aug. 6.
      Future Product Pipeline
      A CALL TO ACTION
    • Ad process evolves with pandemic
      Pandemic adds resonance to Garff effort
      Microchip illustration
      The latest numbers on the microchip shortage: GM production pummeled
      Moreno sets sights on Washington
    • Access F&I
    • Fixed Ops Journal
    • Marketing
    • Used Cars
    • Retail Technology
    • Sales
    • Best Practices
    • Dealership Buy/Sell
    • NADA
    • NADA Show
    • Automakers
    • Manufacturing
    • Suppliers
    • Regulations & Safety
    • Executives
    • Talk From The Top
    • Leading Women Network
    • Guide to Economic Development
    • PACE Awards
    • Management Briefing Seminars
    • World Congress
    • Aston Martin
    • BMW
      • Mini
      • Rolls-Royce
    • Daimler
      • Mercedes Benz
      • Smart
    • Ford
      • Lincoln
    • General Motors
      • Buick
      • Cadillac
      • Chevrolet
      • GMC
    • Honda
      • Acura
    • Hyundai
      • Genesis
      • Kia
    • Mazda
    • McLaren
    • Mitsubishi
    • Nissan
      • Infiniti
    • Stellantis
      • Alfa Romeo
      • Citroen
      • Chrysler
      • Dodge
      • Ferrari
      • Fiat
      • Jeep
      • Lancia
      • Maserati
      • Opel
      • Peugeot
      • Ram
      • Vauxhall
    • Renault
    • Subaru
    • Suzuki
    • Tata
      • Jaguar
      • Land Rover
    • Tesla
    • Toyota
      • Lexus
    • Volkswagen
      • Audi
      • Bentley
      • Bugatti
      • Lamborghini
      • Porsche
      • Seat
      • Skoda
    • Volvo
    • (Discontinued Brands)
    • Virtual reveals (Sponsored)
      • MITSUBISHI: 2022 Outlander
      • NISSAN: 2022 Pathfinder and 2022 Frontier
      • GENESIS: 2021 GV80
      • KIA: 2021 K5
      • LEXUS: 2021 IS
      • NISSAN: 2021 Rogue
      • TOYOTA: 2021 Venza and 2021 Sienna
    • Auto Shows
    • Future Product Pipeline
    • Photo Galleries
    • Car Cutaways
    • Design
  • OPINION
    • Blogs
    • Cartoons
    • Keith Crain
    • Automotive Views with Jason Stein
    • Columnists
    • China Commentary
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Send us a Letter
    • Mach-E
      For Ford, 3rd-party charging network must improve to reap Mustang Mach-E potential
      VW logo with reflection
      VW lied to sell diesels; now it lied to sell EVs
      265725_XC90_Inscription_in_Birch_Light.jpg
      Volvo targets top talent in U.S., China with generous parental leave policy
      Fisker gets a rare second chance to build his own car company
    • In case of supply chain woes, break glass
      Quick! The Biden phone
      VW's Joke Is On You
      Joke Is On You
      In case of supply chain woes, break glass
      view gallery
      3 photos
      Leo Michael Cartoons - Q2 2021
      Leo Michael: There's Nothing You Can Do!
      Nothing You Can Do
    • Shifting gears away from the stick shift
      SEMA still a wonderful circus
      Penske still has plenty of races to win
      Ford's turn in the hot seat
    • April 6, 2021 | For Volkswagen, authenticity is the only path forward
      March 30, 2021 | Tesla “changes” car industry
      March 23, 2021 | Remote work will continue after the pandemic
      March 16, 2021 | Industry offers warning to Apple
    • Ford's Blue Advantage tool shows it's ‘listening' to dealers
      Jamie Butters
      EV rebates must work at retail
      Tracy Fred
      Dealers deserve access to their data
      Dan Shine
      Service drive can lift dealerships as source of used-vehicle inventory
    • Why Xiaomi holds promise of becoming formidable EV player
      Geely’s new EV push is decidedly new age
      Charging poles installed outside a Tesla store in downtown Shanghai.
      Unreliable public EV charging sites prompt automakers to take wheel
      VW Group's playbook to dominate EV market
    • A step in right direction for Nissan dealers
      ‘Voltswagen' April Fools' gag far from funny
      Less is more in lineups as well as on lots
      Electric vehicle charger
      Electric vehicle hype opens door to short sellers
    • With EVs, bias for traditional carmakers
      ‘Voltswagen' was clever and fun
      Mixed-use plan a winner
      EV adoption in U.S. shouldn't be forced
  • DATA CENTER
  • VIDEO
    • AutoNews Now
    • First Shift
    • Special Video Reports
    • Weekend Drive
    • AutoNews Now: Biden eyes $50B for chip production, research
      AutoNews Now: EV battery decision looms for SK Innovation, LG Chem
      AutoNews Now: Ford skipping summer shutdown at many U.S. plants
      Mercedes leads Lexus, BMW in tight luxury race
    • First Shift: Ford dealers plan standalone Bronco stores
      First Shift: Hyundai to idle more output due to chip shortage
      First Shift: Biden's EV plan said to include $100B for consumer rebates
      First Shift: Stronger auto emissions rules coming by July, EPA head says
    • How a Seattle-area dealer is teaching, retaining auto techs 
      Virtual sales manager Jay Barger
      'Glued to a phone': Acura store's virtual sales boss lifts deliveries, efficiency
      One man’s journey from homelessness to thriving dealer
      Bert Ogden Auto Group
      How a Texas group is cutting costs, saving millions
    • Why the pickup is the auto industry's 'battleground'
      Carlos Ghosn's quest to restore his reputation
      Why Ford must execute to avoid 'deep trouble'
      Why Honda is 'locked and loaded' for 2020
  • EVENTS & AWARDS
    • Events
    • Awards
    • Congress Conversations
    • Retail Forum: NADA
    • Canada Congress
    • Europe Congress Conversations
    • Fixed Ops Journal Forum
    • Shift: Mobility at a Crossroads
    • 100 Leading Women
    • 40 Under 40 Retail
    • All-Stars
    • Best Dealerships To Work For
      • Register for the 2021 Best Dealership To Work For
    • PACE Program
    • Rising Stars
    • Europe Rising Stars
  • JOBS
  • AN Solutions
  • +MORE
    • Leading Women Network
    • Podcasts
    • Webinars
    • In the Driver's Seat
    • Publishing Partners
    • Classifieds
    • Companies on the Move
    • People on the Move
    • Newsletters
    • Contact Us
    • Media Kit
    • RSS Feeds
    • Shift: A Podcast About Mobility
    • Special Reports Podcasts
    • Daily Drive Podcasts
    • AAM
    • Cars.com
    • DealerPolicy
    • Gentex
    • IHS Markit
    • Remember Group
    • Reputation.com
    • Ricardo: Dave Shemmans
    • Ricardo: Marques McCammon
    • Allstate: Want more from your F&I?
    • Ally: Navigating the future of automotive retailing
    • Amazon Web Services: Any place, any time, any channel
    • Amazon Web Services: The power of the cloud
    • Amazon Web Services: Universal translator: Harnessing sensor data to build better automotive software
    • Capital One Auto: Dealerships remain vital to an increasingly digital car shopping journey
    • DealerSocket: 5 steps to modernizing the buyer's journey
    • Epic Games: Real-time tech is the next frontier of automotive
    • Epic Games: Transforming the auto industry with digital assets
    • FTI Consulting: Crisis as a catalyst for change
    • Google: 5 trends shaping the auto industry's approach to a new normal
    • Google: Google's dealer guidebook helps dealers navigate today's digital landscape
    • IHS Markit: Automotive loyalty in the wake of the COVID-19 recession
    • IHS Markit: COVID-19: The future mobility delusion
    • Level5: 2020 Automotive E-Commerce Report
    • Motormindz: Toward hyperconnectivity: 5 ways to position your business to profit from connected car
    • Naked Lime: Bring social reputation together as part of big-picture marketing
    • Wells Fargo Auto: Switching gears from LIBOR to SOFR
    • Ally: Do It Right
    • DealerSocket
    • Deloitte: Cyber everywhere: Preparing for automotive safety in the face of cyber threats
    • Facebook: The road to a zero-friction future
    • Guide To Economic Development
    • PayPal Credit: How consumer financing helps drive sales for online auto parts retailers
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Automakers & Suppliers
November 30, 2012 12:00 AM

Ex-GM engineer, husband found guilty of trade-secret theft

Eddie Allen
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print

    DETROIT (Reuters) - A former General Motors engineer and her husband were found guilty today of conspiring to steal the automaker's trade secrets for hybrid and electric vehicles.

    Shanshan Du, 53, the former GM employee, was ruled guilty of conspiracy to possess trade secrets without authorization and two counts of unauthorized possession of trade secrets. She was found not guilty of three counts of wire fraud.

    Du's husband, Yu Qin, 51, was found guilty on all six counts, as well as a seventh count for obstruction of justice.

    The trade secret counts carry a penalty of up to 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The wire fraud counts and an obstruction charge each carry a penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing will occur in February 2013.

    The jury of nine women and three men deliberated for less than a full day after the case was sent to them late on Thursday. The trial in U.S. District Court in Detroit began on Nov. 5.

    Du and Qin were charged in 2010 in a seven-count indictment with trying to steal GM trade secrets related to hybrid vehicles to pass on to China's Chery Automobile Co.

    Attorneys for both Du and Qin argued the documents in question were not trade secrets.

    "There were no 'trade secrets' involved in this case. We are sorry the jury did not understand that and we hope the court or the court of appeals will set aside this verdict," Frank Eaman, Qin's attorney, told Automotive News on Friday.

    Du's attorney declined to comment.

    Sentencing is scheduled for February.

    The case is one of more than a dozen brought in the past three years by the U.S. Justice Department alleging defendants of Chinese ancestry or citizenship sought to take trade secrets from U.S.-based companies for use by the Chinese government or businesses.

    In October in Chicago, a former software engineer for Chicago-based CME Group Inc., the world’s largest derivatives exchange, pleaded guilty to charges of downloading more than 10,000 files containing source code from his employer to support trading activities in an exchange in China.

    In September in Newark, New Jersey, a native of China who worked for L-3 Communications Holdings Inc.’s space and navigation division was convicted of transporting stolen property and possession of trade secrets related to precision navigation devices.

    Qin and Du, who worked as a GM engineer, were accused of taking confidential GM information on hybrid technology and trying to pass it to Chinese automakers through a small firm they owned called Millennium Technology International, according to court documents.

    Du was accused of copying thousands of GM documents to an external hard drive five days after the automaker offered her a severance agreement in January 2005.

    She left GM's advanced technology group in March 2005. In August of that year, Qin and Du proposed a joint venture on hybrids to China's Chery in a series of emails, according to court documents.

    Then in November 2005, Qin, who had been working as an electrical engineer in Troy, applied for jobs as a hybrid engineer, claiming on his resume he had invented some of the stolen GM technology, according to court documents.

    The couple were required to surrender their U.S. passports and cannot leave the Detroit area without court permission.

    GM declined to comment on the verdict.

    Vince Bond, Jr., and Bloomberg contributed to this report

    RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
    Nvidia, Volvo Cars accelerate auto industry race for data-processing power
    Letter
    to the
    Editor

     

     

    Send us a letter

    Have an opinion about this story? Click here to submit a Letter to the Editor, and we may publish it in print.

    Recommended for You
    Nvidia, Volvo Cars accelerate auto industry race for data-processing power
    Nvidia, Volvo Cars accelerate auto industry race for data-processing power
    Vietnam auto startup VinFast considering $2 billion U.S. stock offering, report says
    Vietnam auto startup VinFast considering $2 billion U.S. stock offering, report says
    On the baby front, Volvo takes the lead
    On the baby front, Volvo takes the lead
    Sponsored Content: White Paper: The State of the Automotive Industry as it Turns to Electrification
    Sign up for free newsletters
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    See more newsletter options at autonews.com/newsletters.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    Digital Edition
    Automotive News 4-12-21
    THIS WEEK'S EDITION
    See our archive
    Fixed Ops Journal
    Fixed Ops Journal 4-12-21
    Read the issue
    See our archive
    BREAKING NEWS ALERTS: Sign up and be the first to know when big news breaks.
    WEEKLY NEWSLETTER: Sign up to start your week with the top stories from the latest issue of Automotive News, delivered to your inbox first thing each Monday morning.
    Get Free Newsletters

    Sign up and get the best of Automotive News delivered straight to your email inbox, free of charge. Choose your news – we will deliver.

    Subscribe Today

    Get 24/7 access to in-depth, authoritative coverage of the auto industry from a global team of reporters and editors covering the news that’s vital to your business.

    Subscribe Now
    Connect With Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter

    Our mission

    The Automotive News mission is to be the primary source of industry news, data and understanding for the industry's decision-makers interested in North America.

    AN-LOGO-BLUE
    Contact Us

    1155 Gratiot Avenue
    Detroit, Michigan
    48207-2997

    (877) 812-1584

    Email us

    Automotive News
    ISSN 0005-1551 (print)
    ISSN 1557-7686 (online)

    Fixed Ops Journal
    ISSN 2576-1064 (print)
    ISSN 2576-1072 (online)

    Resources
    • About us
    • Contact Us
    • Media Kit
    • Subscribe
    • Manage your account
    • Reprints
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Automotive News
    Copyright © 1996-2021. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • HOME
    • NEWS
      • Dealers
        • Access F&I
        • Fixed Ops Journal
        • Marketing
        • Used Cars
        • Retail Technology
        • Sales
        • Best Practices
        • Dealership Buy/Sell
        • NADA
        • NADA Show
      • Automakers & Suppliers
        • Automakers
        • Manufacturing
        • Suppliers
        • Regulations & Safety
        • Executives
        • Talk From The Top
        • Leading Women Network
        • Guide to Economic Development
        • PACE Awards
        • Management Briefing Seminars
        • World Congress
      • News by Brand
        • Aston Martin
        • BMW
          • Mini
          • Rolls-Royce
        • Daimler
          • Mercedes Benz
          • Smart
        • Ford
          • Lincoln
        • General Motors
          • Buick
          • Cadillac
          • Chevrolet
          • GMC
        • Honda
          • Acura
        • Hyundai
          • Genesis
          • Kia
        • Mazda
        • McLaren
        • Mitsubishi
        • Nissan
          • Infiniti
        • Stellantis
          • Alfa Romeo
          • Citroen
          • Chrysler
          • Dodge
          • Ferrari
          • Fiat
          • Jeep
          • Lancia
          • Maserati
          • Opel
          • Peugeot
          • Ram
          • Vauxhall
        • Renault
        • Subaru
        • Suzuki
        • Tata
          • Jaguar
          • Land Rover
        • Tesla
        • Toyota
          • Lexus
        • Volkswagen
          • Audi
          • Bentley
          • Bugatti
          • Lamborghini
          • Porsche
          • Seat
          • Skoda
        • Volvo
        • (Discontinued Brands)
      • Cars & Concepts
        • Virtual reveals (Sponsored)
          • MITSUBISHI: 2022 Outlander
          • NISSAN: 2022 Pathfinder and 2022 Frontier
          • GENESIS: 2021 GV80
          • KIA: 2021 K5
          • LEXUS: 2021 IS
          • NISSAN: 2021 Rogue
          • TOYOTA: 2021 Venza and 2021 Sienna
        • Auto Shows
        • Future Product Pipeline
        • Photo Galleries
        • Car Cutaways
        • Design
      • Final Assembly
      • China
      • Shift
      • Mobility Report
      • Special Reports
      • Digital Edition Archive
      • This Week's Issue
    • OPINION
      • Blogs
      • Cartoons
      • Keith Crain
      • Automotive Views with Jason Stein
      • Columnists
      • China Commentary
      • Editorials
      • Letters to the Editor
      • Send us a Letter
    • DATA CENTER
    • VIDEO
      • AutoNews Now
      • First Shift
      • Special Video Reports
      • Weekend Drive
    • EVENTS & AWARDS
      • Events
        • Congress Conversations
        • Retail Forum: NADA
        • Canada Congress
        • Europe Congress Conversations
        • Fixed Ops Journal Forum
        • Shift: Mobility at a Crossroads
      • Awards
        • 100 Leading Women
        • 40 Under 40 Retail
        • All-Stars
        • Best Dealerships To Work For
          • Register for the 2021 Best Dealership To Work For
        • PACE Program
        • Rising Stars
        • Europe Rising Stars
    • JOBS
    • AN Solutions
    • +MORE
      • Leading Women Network
      • Podcasts
        • Shift: A Podcast About Mobility
        • Special Reports Podcasts
        • Daily Drive Podcasts
      • Webinars
      • In the Driver's Seat
        • AAM
        • Cars.com
        • DealerPolicy
        • Gentex
        • IHS Markit
        • Remember Group
        • Reputation.com
        • Ricardo: Dave Shemmans
        • Ricardo: Marques McCammon
      • Publishing Partners
        • Allstate: Want more from your F&I?
        • Ally: Navigating the future of automotive retailing
        • Amazon Web Services: Any place, any time, any channel
        • Amazon Web Services: The power of the cloud
        • Amazon Web Services: Universal translator: Harnessing sensor data to build better automotive software
        • Capital One Auto: Dealerships remain vital to an increasingly digital car shopping journey
        • DealerSocket: 5 steps to modernizing the buyer's journey
        • Epic Games: Real-time tech is the next frontier of automotive
        • Epic Games: Transforming the auto industry with digital assets
        • FTI Consulting: Crisis as a catalyst for change
        • Google: 5 trends shaping the auto industry's approach to a new normal
        • Google: Google's dealer guidebook helps dealers navigate today's digital landscape
        • IHS Markit: Automotive loyalty in the wake of the COVID-19 recession
        • IHS Markit: COVID-19: The future mobility delusion
        • Level5: 2020 Automotive E-Commerce Report
        • Motormindz: Toward hyperconnectivity: 5 ways to position your business to profit from connected car
        • Naked Lime: Bring social reputation together as part of big-picture marketing
        • Wells Fargo Auto: Switching gears from LIBOR to SOFR
        • Ally: Do It Right
        • DealerSocket
        • Deloitte: Cyber everywhere: Preparing for automotive safety in the face of cyber threats
        • Facebook: The road to a zero-friction future
        • Guide To Economic Development
        • PayPal Credit: How consumer financing helps drive sales for online auto parts retailers
      • Classifieds
      • Companies on the Move
      • People on the Move
      • Newsletters
      • Contact Us
      • Media Kit
      • RSS Feeds