Chinese Telco Charged With Stealing Trade Secrets From Motorola

Federal prosecutors allege that China’s Hytera Communications recruited and hired Motorola Solutions employees to steal trade secrets from Motorola. An indictment was partially unsealed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. “As alleged, from 2007 to 2020, Hytera and the recruited employees used Motorola’s proprietary and trade secret information to accelerate the development of Hytera’s [digital mobile radio] products, train Hytera employees, and market and sell Hytera’s DMR products throughout the world,” DOJ said Monday: “Hytera paid the recruited employees higher salaries and benefits than what they received at Motorola.” Hytera didn’t comment. The company faces a potential criminal fine of three times the value of the stolen technology “including expenses for research, design, and other costs that it avoided,” DOJ said.