The 43-year-old Russian who shared technological information from chip machine manufacturer ASML and chipmaker NXP with his motherland for years must spend three years in prison. That was the verdict of the court in Rotterdam on Thursday.
The Russian engineer German A. worked in the chip industry for four years. During a period of eighteen months, he copied information from ASML and NXP servers and passed it on to Russia.
In doing so, he violated sanctions imposed by the European Union on Russia in 2014. A. was also guilty of computer intrusion because he intentionally and without permission accessed the systems of ASML and NXP.
Large quantities of files from ASML and NXP were found at A.’s home. He shared files with information about setting up production lines for making microchips with his motherland.
It has not been established that A. sold that information, the judge ruled. As a result, the sentence is lower than the 4.5 years demanded by the Public Prosecution Service (OM) against the Russian.
The judge blamed A. for sharing advanced technology with a country at war. “Providing advice to and sharing technology with Russia is extremely serious,” the judge said. “It can contribute to strengthening the military or strategic capabilities of that country, which has consequences for Ukraine and indirectly consequences for international security and stability.”
A. denies that he had contact with Russian security services
According to the judge, it is not important that the shared information was outdated. The technology could still be of value due to the Russian knowledge gap in the chip industry. “It must be prevented that a country at war can profit from progressive knowledge,” the judge said.
A. denies that he had contact with Russian intelligence and security services. At the end of last year, he was already banned from entering the Netherlands for twenty years, which will take effect after his sentence.