A former Intel engineer is seeking dismissal of a lawsuit filed by the company, which alleges that he misappropriated nearly 18,000 confidential files prior to his termination in July. The engineer contends that he was not properly notified of the legal action and responded promptly upon discovering the case.
Intel initiated the lawsuit in October, claiming that the former employee, Jinfeng Luo, downloaded a substantial number of sensitive documents, some labeled “Intel Top Secret,” after being informed of his impending layoff. The company alleges that Luo used a network-attached storage device to transfer data from his company-issued laptop. Subsequent attempts by Intel to contact Luo between August and October—including phone calls, emails, letters, and outreach to family members—were reportedly unsuccessful. As a result, Intel is seeking at least $250,000 in damages and has requested a court order for Luo to surrender all personal devices for inspection and removal of proprietary data. ([tomshardware.com](https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/cyber-security/laid-off-intel-employee-allegedly-steals-top-secret-files-goes-on-the-run-ex-engineer-downloaded-18-000-files-before-disappearing?utm_source=openai))
This case is part of a broader trend of legal actions involving former employees accused of trade secret theft in the technology sector. In a notable instance, former Google software engineer Linwei Ding was convicted in January on multiple counts of economic espionage and theft of trade secrets. Ding was found guilty of stealing thousands of pages of confidential information related to artificial intelligence technology, intending to benefit the People’s Republic of China. This marked the first U.S. jury conviction involving AI-related economic espionage charges. ([justice.gov](https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-google-engineer-found-guilty-economic-espionage-and-theft-confidential-ai-technology?utm_source=openai))
Similarly, in November, Taiwanese prosecutors raided the homes of former TSMC Senior Vice President Wei-Jen Lo amid allegations that he leaked trade secrets to Intel. The searches, conducted in Taipei and Hsinchu, involved the seizure of digital devices as part of an ongoing investigation following TSMC’s civil lawsuit. The company alleges a “high likelihood” that Lo misappropriated sensitive information prior to his retirement in July, after over two decades at TSMC, where he led advanced technology development. ([tomshardware.com](https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/semiconductors/ex-tsmc-executives-home-raised-after-lawsuit-filings?utm_source=openai))
These cases underscore the increasing vigilance of technology companies in protecting their intellectual property and the legal complexities surrounding trade secret disputes. As the industry continues to evolve, the safeguarding of proprietary information remains a critical concern for corporations worldwide.