Bayer branch: Monsanto spied on | tagesschau.de

According to the US government, a Chinese citizen admitted to industrial espionage at the agricultural company Monsanto. It is said that he stole the software. Now he is facing a long prison sentence in the United States.

Chinese imaging scientist Xiang Haitao must stand trial in the United States on charges of industrial espionage. It is said that he stole trade secrets from the agricultural company Monsanto and passed them on to the Chinese state. Now, the 44-year-old has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit industrial espionage on behalf of China, according to the US Department of Justice.

Chiang worked for Monsanto and its subsidiary The Climate Corporation between 2008 and 2017. According to the Department of Justice, he allegedly stole a program developed by Monsanto to help farmers improve their crop yields.

‘A normal isolated incident’

Deputy Attorney General Matthew Olsen said the scientist admitted he “stole a Monsanto trade secret, transferred it to a memory card, and attempted to bring it to the People’s Republic of China for the benefit of the Chinese government.” Chiang faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a $5 million fine if convicted.

“We cannot allow US citizens or foreign nationals to pass sensitive business information to competitors in other countries,” said Missouri attorney Syller Fleming. The Monsanto Group, which was acquired by DAX Bayer in 2018, is headquartered in the eastern region of the US state of Missouri.

When US authorities indicted Chiang in 2019, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said the Washington government was trying to use the case to support its allegations of industrial espionage against China. Spokesman Geng Shuang said at the time that it was a “normal and isolated incident” that the US government was trying to manipulate.