Intel Sues Ex-Engineer for Stealing 18,000 Files

Intel Corporation has filed a lawsuit in Washington federal court against former software engineer Jinfeng Luo, accusing him of stealing approximately 18,000 confidential files, including some marked as "Intel Top Secret," just before his employment ended in July 2024. The suit seeks at least $250,000 in damages, the return of the files, and a court order to inspect Luo's personal electronic devices.

Luo, who joined Intel in 2014 and worked as a software developer based in Seattle, received a termination notice on July 7, 2024, with his employment set to conclude on July 31. The company did not specify the reason for his dismissal in court filings, though it occurred amid broader cost-cutting efforts that included laying off more than 15,000 workers worldwide last summer. Intel has reduced its workforce by around 35,000 positions over the past two years as it addresses financial challenges, including declining revenue in prior quarters.

According to the lawsuit, Luo first attempted to copy files from his company-issued laptop to an external hard drive on July 23, but Intel's internal security controls blocked the transfer. Five days later, on July 28, he connected a...