A Chinese, stealing patented corn seeds from the U.S. fields, pleaded guilty in the federal court of Iowa on Wednesday. According to the court documents, the case of Mo Hailong, 46, draws attention as it calls for alleged trade-secrets theft. Hailong was stealing high tech corn seeds from agribusiness companies, Monsanto and DuPont to transport them to China.
The US Department of Justice said that the Chinese, stealing patented corn seeds admitted to conspiracy to steal inbred corn seeds from the US companies with his former employer Beijing Dabeinong Technology Group. The seeds, which are inbred or parent corn seeds, according to The Guardian are then going to be carried to China to his previous employer so scientist could reproduce its genetic traits.Hailong was a director of a Chinese conglomerate that runs a corn seed subsidiary when he was arrested in Dec. 2013.
"Mo admitted to participating in the theft of inbred - or parent - corn seeds from fields in the southern district of Iowa for the purpose of transporting those seeds to China," the US department of Justice said in a statement. "The stolen inbred seeds constitute the valuable intellectual property of DuPont Pioneer and Monsanto."
The Chinese, stealing patented corn seeds was the only one indicted for conspiracy, News Yahoo reports. Other Chinese citizens collaborating with Hailong left the country. Charges were also dropped against the five Chinese nationals, including the Hailong's sister, Mo Yun. Yun is married to the chairman and founder of the company and was also charged with trying to steal patented U.S. seeds in July 2014. She was permitted to return to China.
CNBC says that the Chinese, stealing patented corn seeds will be imprisoned in Des Moines at a later date. Hailong, who is also known as Robert Mo, had to face a 10-year sentences and pay a fine of $250,000. However, with the plea deal, Hailong will not be in jail for more than five years.
According to his defense lawyer, Mark Weinhardt, his client has recently finished treatment for a progressive and rare cancer. Hailong has lived in the U.S. for about 20 years. His wife and children are all U.S. citizens.
