Chinese hacker/spy sentenced to U.S. prison
Su Bin, a Chinese businessman who admitted being part of a group hacking U.S. defense secrets, has been given nearly four years’ jail. He had been extradited from Canada.
Su Bin was convicted of taking part in a multi-year plot by Chinese military officers to obtain sensitive U.S. military information, including projects including the F-22 and F-35 fighter jets and Boeing’s C-17 military transport aircraft.
“Su assisted the Chinese military hackers in their efforts to illegally access and steal designs for cutting-edge military aircraft that are indispensable to our national defense,” said John Carlin, assistant attorney general for national security.
The Chinese government has repeatedly denied any involvement in hacking.
But, The Guardian noted, his spying has been been openly lauded in China.
“We are willing to show our gratitude and respect for his service to our country,” said a March editorial in the Global Times, a nationalistic newspaper with close ties to the China’s Communist Party dictatorship.
“On the secret battlefield without gunpowder, China needs special agents to gather secrets from the U.S.”
Prosecutors said Su, who ran a China-based aviation and aerospace company from Canada, traveled to the United States at least 10 times between 2008 and 2014 and worked with two unidentified China-based co-conspirators to steal the data.
Su admitted taking part in the crime for financial gain.
To read The Guardian story, please hit this link.