Google Ex-Engineer Cleared of Espionage Charges in Trade Secret Case

A California federal judge has acquitted an ex-Google software engineer of espionage charges while upholding his trade secret theft conviction.

The engineer, who was not named in the source, was found guilty of stealing trade secrets from Google but was cleared of intentionally collaborating with the Chinese government.

The judge ruled that evidence showed the engineer's actions were 'ad hoc, disorganized and feeble' but did not meet the threshold for proving intentional collusion with the Chinese government.