What’s Happening & Why This Matters
Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn have arrested Klaus Pflugbeil, a Canada-based resident working in China, for stealing and attempting to sell Tesla’s trade secrets to undercover officers in New York. Pflugbeil operates a business in China selling electric vehicle technology and was charged with conspiracy. He traveled to New York to meet with undercover agents, thinking they were businesspeople from Long Island.
Prosecutors cannot name the leading U.S.-based electric vehicle company whose trade secrets Pflugbeil and business partner Yilong Shao were allegedly selling. However, the acquisition of a Canada-based manufacturer of battery assembly lines in 2019 aligns with Tesla’s acquisition of the Canadian company Hibar. Shao is facing charges but remains at large.
TF Summary: What’s Next
Stay tuned for more details as the US federal authorities unravel this scandal. Companies, in conjunction with local, state, and federal governments, will strive to deter trade secret theft by foreign powers. With both Pflugbeil and Shao involved in criminal activities, it remains to be seen what action the electric vehicle company involved will take to protect its trade secrets in the future.