Former Google engineer charged for stealing trade secret from former employers

Anthony Levandowski, a pioneer in self-driving car technology, was criminally charged on Tuesday with stealing trade secrets from his former employer Google before joining rival Uber.

The 33-count indictment made public by the US Department of Justice largely mirrors allegations that the Waymo unit of Google parent Alphabet, where Mr Levandowski had worked, made in a 2017 civil lawsuit against Uber, which later settled.

His lawyers said Mr Levandowski stole nothing, and that they looked forward to proving his innocence at trial.

Mr Levandowski, 39, pleaded not guilty to the charges through one of his lawyers, at an arraignment before US Magistrate Judge Nathanael Cousins in California.

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The judge set a preliminary bail package of $300,000 cash and the pledging as collateral of two properties worth $2 million. Another hearing to set final bail terms was scheduled for September 4th, as government lawyers said they needed more time to assess Mr Levandowski’s finances.

Mr Levandowski surrendered his US and French passports and will wear and ankle bracelet to monitor his whereabouts. A prosecutor expressed concern at the arraignment that Mr Levandowski might be a flight risk.

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