Former Monsanto Employee Pleads Guilty to Stealing Trade Secrets for China

By Patrick Thomas

A Chinese national and former Monsanto employee pleaded guilty to conspiring to steal trade secrets from the company to help the Chinese government, the U.S. Justice Department said Thursday.

Xiang Haitao, 44, was employed by the St. Louis company and subsidiary The Climate Corp. from 2008 to 2017, where he worked as an imaging scientist, the Justice Department said. Monsanto is now part of German pharmaceutical and chemical company Bayer AG.

Mr. Xiang pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit economic espionage and is scheduled to be sentenced April 7.

He faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a potential fine of $5 million, the department said.

Write to Patrick Thomas at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

01-06-22 2104ET