Canadian gets 24 months for trying to sell U.S. military technology
Last Updated: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 | 3:36 PM ET
CBC News
A Canadian engineer living in California has been given a 24-month sentence for trying to sell U.S. fighter-pilot training software to the Chinese Navy.
Xiaodong Sheldon Meng, 44, is reported to be the first person charged with committing economic espionage against the U.S. As part of a deal, Meng pleaded guilty to felony counts of economic espionage and exporting controlled military technologies.
He was also ordered to pay a fine of $100,000 US.
Prosecutors say Meng stole software from a former employer, Quantum3D Inc. of San Jose., Calif., and tried to sell them to Asian military officials.
Meng was originally charged in December 2006 with 36 felony charges alleging he tried to sell the information to the air forces of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the Navy Research Centre in China.
U.S. officials have not said if Meng, a former Chinese national with Canadian citizenship, was ever successful in selling any of the technology.
With files from the Associated Press







