The person at the center of this case
Six American companies (victims of computer fraud and trade secret theft)
Cold Case · Open
12 years waiting · since 2014
WEN XINYU
Justice for Six American companies (victims of computer fraud and trade secret theft) — the trail went cold in 2014, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
🎯
suspect
Lead #1What is Wen Xinyu's current location and has he been apprehended since the 2014 indictment?
🔍
evidence
Lead #2Which six American companies were targeted, and what specific trade secrets and proprietary information were stolen?
👤
person
Lead #3What was Wen Xinyu's specific role as an officer in the PLA's Third Department, and how did he control the victim computers?
On May 1, 2014, a federal grand jury in the Western District of Pennsylvania indicted five officers of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China, including Wen Xinyu, for a coordinated conspiracy to penetrate computer networks of six American companies and steal proprietary information and trade secrets. Wen Xinyu allegedly controlled victim computers during the unauthorized access operations that targeted companies engaged in negotiations or legal disputes with Chinese state-owned enterprises. The case remains significant as a documented example of state-sponsored cyber espionage and economic theft, with the suspect remaining at large.
Case
#633
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Pennsylvania
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More leads to consider
Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
💡
clue
Lead #4Were any of the other four indicted PLA officers apprehended, and did their cooperation provide leads on Wen Xinyu's whereabouts?
Have information about any of these leads?
Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.
Official wording
Source Narrative
Conspiring to Commit Computer Fraud; Accessing a Computer Without Authorization for the Purpose of Commercial Advantage and Private Financial Gain; Damaging Computers Through the Transmission of Code and Commands; Aggravated Identity Theft; Economic Espionage; Theft of Trade Secrets Caution: On May 1, 2014, a grand jury in the Western District of Pennsylvania indicted five members of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) for 31 criminal counts, including: conspiring to commit computer fraud; accessing a computer without authorization for the purpose of commercial advantage and private financial gain; damaging computers through the transmission of code and commands; aggravated identity theft; economic espionage; and theft of trade secrets. The subjects, including Wen Xinyu, were officers of the PRC’s Third Department of the General Staff Department of the People’s Liberation Army (3PLA), Second Bureau, Third Office, Military Unit Cover Designator (MUCD) 61398, at some point during the investigation.
The activities executed by each of these individuals allegedly involved in the conspiracy varied according to his specialties. Each provided his individual expertise to an alleged conspiracy to penetrate the computer networks of six American companies while those companies were engaged in negotiations or joint ventures or were pursuing legal action with, or against, state-owned enterprises in China.
They then used their illegal access to allegedly steal proprietary information including, for instance, e-mail exchanges among company employees and trade secrets related to technical specifications for nuclear plant designs. Wen controlled victim computers.
Timeline of Events
🕵️
2014-05-01
Federal Grand Jury Indictment
Grand jury in the Western District of Pennsylvania indicted five PLA officers, including Wen Xinyu, on 31 criminal counts including computer fraud, unauthorized computer access, identity theft, economic espionage, and theft of trade secrets.
Key Locations
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Case Information
Incident:May 1, 2014
Last Updated:April 29, 2026
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Case Information
Incident:May 1, 2014
Last Updated:April 29, 2026