China-born aerospace engineer gets 15 years for spying

LOS ANGELES (AFP) — A Chinese-born aerospace engineer was jailed for more than 15 years Monday after being convicted of selling technology related to the US space shuttle program to China, officials said.

Greg Chung Dongfan, 73, was convicted last year of stealing trade secrets from Boeing and Rockwell during a three-decade career where he was also working as a Chinese agent, a justice department statement said.

Federal Judge Cormac Carney jailed Chung for 188 months at a hearing in Santa Ana, outside of Los Angeles, telling the former engineer it was not possible to "put a price tag" on national security.

Carney said the stiff sentence was intended to send a message to the Chinese government: "Stop sending your spies here."

Chung was found guilty of conspiracy to commit economic espionage, six counts of economic espionage to benefit a foreign country, one count of acting as an agent of the People's Republic of China and one Continue reading the remaining 50% ...