Federal prosecutors have charged a former Google engineer and two of her family members in connection with the alleged theft of sensitive trade secrets related to Google’s Tensor processor used in Pixel smartphones. The case underscores the high stakes surrounding proprietary semiconductor design in the rapidly evolving AI hardware sector.
The indictment, which was released in the Northern District of California, charges Samaneh Ghandali, a former software engineer at Google, her husband Mohammadjavad Khosravi and her sister Soroor Ghandali. The case highlights an emerging trend of insider threats, where family networks are allegedly used to support the exfiltration of multi-billion-dollar technology to rival or external organisations.
Background: The Architects of the Alleged Breach
During her tenure at Google, Samaneh Ghandali worked on one of the company’s most strategically important hardware initiatives. As a hardware engineer, she was authorized to access blueprints and technical specifications of the Tensor chip. The Tensor SoC (System on a Chip) is the main differentiator of Google in the already saturated smartphone market, allowing such features to be exclusive as real-time translation, high-end computational photography, and on-devices AI.
According to court documents, the alleged conspiracy began during the final months of Ghandali’s employment at Google. Prosecutors claim that Ghandali used her privileges to steal thousands of secret files. Her husband, Mohammadjavad Khosravi, and her sister, Soroor Ghandali, are accused of having played a major role in covering up the theft and attempting to make money off the data. Prosecutors allege the three coordinated in a planned effort to transfer proprietary research and development data for external commercial use.
Details of the Charges
The three have been charged with felony counts of trade secret theft and conspiracy. The case has been filed in a U.S. federal court, reflecting the seriousness of the allegations. Theft of trade secrets may be severely punished under the federal law of the United States, in particular, the Economic Espionage Act (18 U.S.C. 1832), that provides hefty fines and even time in prison.
After leaving Google, the prosecutors claim Ghandali conspired with her husband and sister to misuse confidential company information. The alleged misconduct occurred around the time Ghandali left her position at the company.
Prosecutors allege the stolen materials were intended for external commercial use or other technological related activities. If convicted, the defendants could face significant prison sentences in case they are found guilty based on the offenses and the judgments made by the court.
Cases involving trade secrets have been observed to be complex and the prosecutors must prove that the information is a trade secret, reasonable efforts have been made to secure the information, and that it has been obtained knowingly and in violation of the law. In high-technology settings, examples of such cases often include the digital forensic evidence, access logs, and internal compliance documentation.
Company Response
Google has indicated that it places the defense of its intellectual property with the highest degrees of seriousness. Although the particular technical aspects regarding the alleged theft have not been publicly reported by the company, the company said it cooperated with law enforcement after identifying the alleged misconduct.
Technology firms typically implement internal controls to prevent unauthorized data transfers such as access controls, surveillance systems and contractual confidentiality. The stakes are often very high in those situations that involve proprietary chip design, as the semiconductor industry is a competitive industry.
The Tensor chips that Google uses to drive its top-selling Pixel smartphones are the source of a differentiation factor in an already saturated market of handsets around the world. Google seeks to dominate the hardware-software integration layer by making its own processors, as other large technology firms have tried.
Related Cases Highlight Broader Trend
The accusations are against the background of increased attention to the protection of intellectual property in the AI and semiconductor industries. Previous incidents of former employees purported to steal trade secrets have highlighted the susceptibility of the advanced research to insider threats.
Indicatively, in a completely different case, a former Google engineer was also previously indicted in regard to alleged misuse of confidential data attributed to advanced chip technology. These examples demonstrate that semiconductor design and AI acceleration hardware is becoming more strategic in importance, especially with companies in a race to create next-generation AI features.
Trade secret litigation has become increasingly common in the technology industry, where companies invest billions in proprietary research. The data provided by the U.S. Department of Justice indicates that the number of prosecutions based on the Economic Espionage Act has risen during the recent decade, especially in industries that deal with AI, quantum computing, and advanced manufacturing.
Industry Implications: Why the Tensor Chip Matters
How is the Tensor chip worthy of a federal investigation? As AI-driven devices become central to consumer technology strategy, hardware innovation has become as critical as software development. Google created its own silicon, cutting down the use of third-party suppliers such as Qualcomm and creating their own hardware to fit their Android ecosystem.
The loss of Tensor secrets is not only a financial loss, but also a loss of competitive edge. Should one of its competitors obtain access to such designs, they would be able to replicate the efficiency of Google in AI processing without the ten-year R&D investment. For the technology sector, the case underscores the importance of comprehensive intellectual property protection including legal deterrents and strict internal behavioral analytics.
Conclusion: The Road Ahead of Law
The case against Samaneh Ghandali represents a significant legal development involving custom semiconductor design for AI-enabled devices. As federal cases are now proceeding, the case could test the application of U.S. trade secret law in matters involving advanced chip engineering.
For Google and the broader technology industry, the case underscores the importance of protecting proprietary innovation. As the competition at the international technological frontiers is dominated by AI and tailor-made silicon, the issue of trade secrets protection may continue to be a primary legal and strategic concern in the next few years.
