Wire Fraud in Trade Secrets Case Involving China

On Jan. 5, 2012, Yan Zhu, a Chinese citizen in the U.S. on a work visa, was sentenced in the District of New Jersey to 3 years of probation and a special assessment of $700. Previously, on Apr. 6, 2011, Zhu was convicted in the District of New Jersey on 7 counts of wire fraud in connection with his scheme to steal confidential and proprietary business information relating to computer systems and software with environmental applications from his New Jersey employer. He was acquitted on the charge of conspiracy to steal trade secrets and two counts of unauthorized transmission of trade secrets in interstate or foreign commerce. On Apr. 10, 2009, Zhu was arrested on charges of theft of trade secrets, conspiracy, wire fraud, and theft of honest services fraud in connection with a plot to steal software from his former U.S. employer and sell a modified version to the Chinese government after he was fired. Zhu was employed as a senior environmental engineer from May of 2006 until his termination in Jul. of 2008. Zhu worked for a comprehensive multi-media environmental information management portal that developed a proprietary software program for the Chinese market which allows users to manage air emissions, ambient water quality, and ground water quality. This investigation was conducted by the FBI