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Ford employee arrested on theft of trade secrets charges

10/15/2009, 4:42 PM

By Drew Johnson

Chinese automakers are often accused of stealing automotive designs, but in the case of one Ford employee, the charges are quite literal. A Ford employee was arrested earlier this week and booked on charges of stealing trade secrets for the Chinese.

Xiang Dong Yu – also known as Mike Yu – was arrested on Wednesday at Chicago O’Hare Airport on charges of theft of trade secrets, attempted theft of trade secrets and unauthorized access to a protected computer, according to The Detroit News. Yu was detained as he tired to re-enter the country from China.

Although it remains unclear exactly what trade secrets Yu was allegedly feeding to the Chinese, he had plenty of access to Ford’s files. Yu held the position of product engineer for Ford from 1997-2007. Expect to hear more on the subject in the coming days.

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10/15, 4:54 PM

posted by:

Borat

Can anyone explain how Xiang Dong translates into “Mike”? The rest of the story, is not exactly news at all.

10/15, 5:03 PM

posted by:

CarsNut

The Chinese want to know how the hell Ford was able to install 4.5 million f*cked up cruise controls in their cars and nobody detected it for so long

10/15, 5:04 PM

posted by:

johngalt

Same way “Lowest Common Denominator Comedy Movie” is translated as “Borat.”

10/15, 5:08 PM

posted by:

05Z88Path

So we can expect a Chinese rip-off of the Ford Focus and/or Fiesta when?

10/15, 5:10 PM

posted by:

Need More Oil For Imports

So that’s how those Chinese car companies get those “Copied” designs. Probably trying to copy their 2010 ford fiesta.

10/15, 5:15 PM

posted by:

Payton Byrd

I would imagine that the engineering and scientific data Ford has collected on their sparkless two-cycle gas engine (many times more efficient than spark-based four-cycle) would have a LOT of value in China. And that’s just one example.

10/15, 5:22 PM

posted by:

Borat

johngalt, are your from Uzbekistan?

10/15, 5:33 PM

posted by:

johngalt

Not yet, Borat. Wait–is today Friday?

10/15, 5:57 PM

posted by:

tastyorange

they are trying to figure out how to keep building cars that blow up when hit from behind… for almost 40 years.

10/15, 6:19 PM

posted by:

A4

****in’ Chinese.

10/15, 6:22 PM

posted by:

FSVT_ROCK

Borat, I believe Mike is his english name, is not translate name from his chinese.

Now we all know how chinese vehicle start making better then us, haha, that was funny.

10/15, 6:42 PM

posted by:

Borat

FSVT_ROCK, thanks, I was joking. I really don’t give a sh1t about spooks identity and I worked with Chinese and know that most of those who come from mainland just pick any biblical name when come to US.

10/15, 6:52 PM

posted by:

elviososa

no wonder most Chinese cars are crappy because they’ve got the SECRETS from Ford.

10/15, 7:44 PM

posted by:

ktulu

dirty!

10/15, 7:49 PM

posted by:

johnnycanuck

At least we can be reasonably sure it was nothing to do with Lincoln’s recent designs. Even the Chinese aren’t stupid enough to want to copy those.

10/15, 8:13 PM

posted by:

Szabla

Lol at Johnny

10/15, 9:59 PM

posted by:

jdasch1

Who holds more patents than Ford….no one in the car industry. Ford has some brilliant engineers that work for them…they also employ some stupid beancounters. If engineers were in charge of building the final product, the vehicles would hardly ever break, the vehicles would cost 50 percent more, and there would be guards on everything. Theft of intellectual property goes on daily and the Chinese could care less if they are caught…whoopee…big deal…we own most of your t-bills.

10/15, 10:07 PM

posted by:

Bosley

If he’s worked for Ford since ‘97, I’d like to know what he’s stolen in the past? I’m just saying……

10/15, 10:24 PM

posted by:

Bankruptcy2009

I agree on that Point Payton Byrd many in here at LLN are just Noir Du Well’s that have no clue that their are engineering secrets far more important than a mere copy of a Products design and looks. The Sparkless or :Laser Ignition is a interesting new technology. However, as the ICE engine nears its final Refinements I think the Electric Cars and that technology can not be given up easily either.

10/15, 10:26 PM

posted by:

Bankruptcy2009

It just So happens I will be at Chicago’s Mighty O’Hare International Airport tommorrow morning where the Arrest occured. Why Was’nt I notified Sooner!

10/16, 12:21 AM

posted by:

leftwingagenda

because you’re much more valuable at your post relentlessly issuing forth ford propaganda with reckless abandon and without regard for whether anybody is listening!

my dad used to work for various satellite communication companies back in the day, with his experience he said the french were the #1 dbags when it came to industrial espionage (back in the ’70s and ’80s)…looks like that mantle has been taken by our friends to the west…

10/16, 3:09 AM

posted by:

fordman

Ford sucks! About all this assclown could sell to the Chinese is all the hybrid and ICE technology Ford bought from Toyoya.

10/16, 7:59 AM

posted by:

Suzhou

****in’ A4.

10/16, 10:14 AM

posted by:

ICEMAN

For the record, A4 got the worlds largest asshole, just ask the herd of elephant that came & ravaged that the other night………

All jokes aside, and seriously, A4 you are a lovely and friendly POS, let the Chinese own your ass in a few short years.

10/16, 10:21 AM

posted by:

armstealer

Imagine what Dong’s punishment would have been thirty years ago when the Chinese were communists.
What’s that? They still are communists? Oh ya.

10/16, 10:22 AM

posted by:

armstealer

leftwingagenda- I’m pretty sure that China is considered EAST from here, hence the terms “near east”, “far east”, even “middle east”, and “the west”.

10/16, 10:34 AM

posted by:

leftwingagenda

armstealer, i’m aware of the term “far east”; however, if you were to fly there from where i’ve lived in the US, you fly to the WEST…you do not fly EAST to get from Seattle to Beijing, etc…i find i kinda funny you even felt the need to make a whole post about that…if it still bothers you philosophically, consider my definition a practical one, and yours is based on holding some old mother****ers version of the world on a flat map…

10/16, 10:46 AM

posted by:

armstealer

…so use the proper terms if you are aware of them.

10/16, 11:02 AM

posted by:

armstealer

By the way leftwingagenda, my East and West are not based on a flat world, it is based on something known as the Prime Meridian, and two things called Hemispheres. And no, I am not referring to a Dodge engine. Granted, the Prime Meridian is simply made up by man for ease of measurements, but how am I supposed to know you are in Seattle as opposed to Kyrgyzstan? And that is why you should use the proper references. I don’t mean to personally bash you at all, it’s just one of my (many) pet peeves.

10/16, 7:29 PM

posted by:

volo

@leftwindagenda
maybe the french did that on purpose to annoy you americans, because you’re so full of yourself? If I ever would do espionage, it would not be for the money but only for the sake of hindering anglo-saxon country.

my 2 cents on you stupid comment on the french

10/16, 9:26 PM

posted by:

beatusmongous

Good. Use your aggressive feelings, boy. Let the hate flow through you.

10/18, 8:18 PM

posted by:

1c3d0g

Great. I hope they kill this f*cker.

10/19, 10:10 AM

posted by:

5.4tritonv8

F***ng Toyota can’t come up with their own ****. Let me see they try to come up with a good truck but they failed. So I gues they are now trying to get our FORD Fusion Hybrid.. Kill that B***ch..

 
 
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