A Chinese businessman has been sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison for conspiring to hack the computer systems of Boeing and other US defense contractors to steal military technical data.
Su Bin, a 51-year-old Chinese national and the owner of a Chinese aviation technology company, was sentenced and was fined $10,000 on Wednesday by US District Court in Los Angeles.
He worked with the two other unidentified Chinese hackers between 2008 and 2014. He instructed both of them on what data to target and transmit to state-owned Chinese companies.
According to the Justice Department, trio managed to stole 65 gigabytes of sensitive information related to fighter jets such as the F-22 and the F-35 as well as Boeing's C-17 military cargo aircraft program.
"Su Bin's sentence is a just punishment for his admitted role in a conspiracy with hackers from the People's Liberation Army Air Force to illegally access and steal sensitive U.S. military information," Assistant Attorney General Carlin said in a statement.
"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."
He admitted to taking part in the crime for financial gain, prosecutors said.
The Chinese government has repeatedly denied any involvement in hacking.
Su Bin, a 51-year-old Chinese national and the owner of a Chinese aviation technology company, was sentenced and was fined $10,000 on Wednesday by US District Court in Los Angeles.
He worked with the two other unidentified Chinese hackers between 2008 and 2014. He instructed both of them on what data to target and transmit to state-owned Chinese companies.
According to the Justice Department, trio managed to stole 65 gigabytes of sensitive information related to fighter jets such as the F-22 and the F-35 as well as Boeing's C-17 military cargo aircraft program.
"Su Bin's sentence is a just punishment for his admitted role in a conspiracy with hackers from the People's Liberation Army Air Force to illegally access and steal sensitive U.S. military information," Assistant Attorney General Carlin said in a statement.
"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."
He admitted to taking part in the crime for financial gain, prosecutors said.
The Chinese government has repeatedly denied any involvement in hacking.