Natalie K. Wight, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon
Varun Gupta, a former engineer, has pleaded guilty to possessing trade secrets from his previous employer, a major semiconductor manufacturer based in Oregon. Gupta was employed by the company from July 2010 to January 2020 as a product marketing engineer. The firm is recognized globally for its semiconductor products.
During his tenure, Gupta signed an agreement that restricted him from disclosing or retaining proprietary information without authorization. Despite this, he had access to sensitive data including pricing strategies and product development details. The company employed multiple security measures to protect this information.
In January 2020, Gupta resigned to join another technology company in Redmond, Washington. Before leaving, he downloaded around 4,000 files containing trade secrets onto personal devices. From February to July 2020, while working at the new company, he accessed these files without permission. This included information on customized product design and pricing used during negotiations with his former employer.
Gupta was charged with possessing stolen trade secrets on December 26, 2024. He faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for August 12, 2025.
The FBI conducted the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by William M. Narus and Geoffrey A. Barrow from the District of Oregon's U.S. Attorney's Office and Anand B. Patel from the Criminal Division.
