The person at the center of this case
Six American companies targeted in cyber espionage conspiracy
Cold Case · Open
12 years waiting · since 2014
WEN XINYU
Justice for Six American companies targeted in cyber espionage conspiracy — the trail went cold in 2014, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
🎯
suspect
Lead #1Wen Xinyu - PLA officer, Third Department of General Staff, Military Unit 61398, responsible for controlling victim computers in the conspiracy
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evidence
Lead #2Stolen proprietary information including email exchanges and technical specifications for nuclear plant designs from six American companies
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clue
Lead #3Conspiracy coordinated with company negotiations or legal actions involving Chinese state-owned enterprises - suggesting targeted timing of cyber attacks
On May 1, 2014, a federal grand jury in the Western District of Pennsylvania indicted five People's Liberation Army officers, including Wen Xinyu, for a sophisticated cyber espionage conspiracy targeting American companies. The defendants allegedly penetrated computer networks of six U.S. corporations to steal proprietary information and trade secrets, including nuclear plant design specifications, while those companies negotiated with or pursued legal action against Chinese state-owned enterprises. The case remains significant as a landmark prosecution of state-sponsored cyber theft, highlighting ongoing concerns about foreign intelligence operations targeting American intellectual property and critical infrastructure.
Case
#633
United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, 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.
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location
Lead #4Military Unit Cover Designator (MUCD) 61398 - the PLA unit directing the cyber espionage operations
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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
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2014-05-01
Federal Grand Jury Indictment
Grand jury in Western District of Pennsylvania indicted five PLA officers including Wen Xinyu on 31 criminal counts for computer fraud, unauthorized access, identity theft, economic espionage, and theft of trade secrets
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Case Information
Incident:May 1, 2014
Last Updated:May 10, 2026
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Case Information
Incident:May 1, 2014
Last Updated:May 10, 2026