A jury found two Chinese nationals guilty of illegally conspiring to break US export laws and illegally exporting electronic equipment from the United States to China, the Justice Department announced Monday.
A number of Chinese military entities were among those that received the equipment, the department noted.
Capping a five-week trial, a federal jury in Massachusetts found Zhen Zhou Wu (aka Alex Wu), Yufeng Wei (aka Annie Wei) and Chitron Electronics Inc. (Chitron-US) guilty of illegally exporting defense articles and Commerce-controlled goods to China repeatedly between 2004 and 2007 and conspiring to break US export laws over a period of 10 years.
Chitron, based in Waltham, Massachusetts, was founded and owned by Wu. It now has its headquarters in Shenzhen, China.
The equipment exported "is used in electronic warfare, military radar, fire control, military guidance and control equipment and satellite communications, including global positioning systems," the department said in a statement.
"These items could make a direct and significant contribution to weapons systems and war-fighting capabilities of US adversaries, and cannot be exported to China without an export license from the US Department of Commerce," the department warned.
Wei also was convicted of immigration fraud for presenting a US Permanent Resident Card, which she knew had been procured by making false and fraudulent statements to immigration officials, to enter the United States.
"Today's convictions demonstrate the importance of safeguarding America's sensitive technology against illicit foreign procurement efforts. They also serve as a warning to those who seek to covertly obtain technological materials from the US in order to advance military systems of their own," said David Kris, Assistant Attorney General for National Security.
By 2007, 25 percent of Chitron's sales were to Chinese military entities, the department said.
Share This Article With Planet Earth
