SAN JOSE, CA — In a case that underscores the intensifying battle over global semiconductor dominance, a federal grand jury has indicted three Silicon Valley engineers for a “calculated betrayal” involving the theft of sensitive trade secrets. The trio, all Iranian nationals residing in San Jose, are accused of exfiltrating critical technology from Google and other leading firms, with investigators tracing the data to unauthorized locations—including Iran.
The indictment, unsealed on February 19, 2026, names Samaneh Ghandali, 41; her husband Mohammadjavad Khosravi, 40; and Ghandali’s sister, Soroor Ghandali, 32. All three were arrested on Thursday and have made their initial appearances in federal court.
The Target: Google’s Tensor Processor
At the heart of the government’s case is Google’s proprietary Tensor processor—the custom-built chip that serves as the “brain” for Pixel smartphones, powering advanced machine learning and on-device AI.
According to the Department of Justice, the Ghandali sisters exploited their roles at Google to exfiltrate hundreds of files, including:
- Cryptography Protocols: Sensitive data relating to how the chips secure user information.
- Processor Architecture: Hardware specifications that define the chip’s performance and efficiency.
- System Design: Proprietary software that manages how the hardware interacts with the Android ecosystem.
A Sophisticated Web of Exfiltration
The indictment outlines a deliberate, multi-layered scheme to bypass corporate security. Prosecutors allege the defendants used third-party communication platforms and personal devices to move data between one another’s work environments at unnamed firms, referred to in court documents as “Company 2” and “Company 3.”
The most jarring allegation involves a trip to Iran in December 2023. Federal investigators claim that the night before the journey, Samaneh Ghandali used her mobile phone to manually photograph 24 screens of trade secret information from her husband’s work computer. Evidence suggests these photographs, along with other stolen data, were accessed while the couple was in Iran.
Cover-ups and Consequences
Beyond the theft itself, the trio faces charges of obstruction of justice. After Google’s internal security systems flagged suspicious activity in August 2023, Samaneh Ghandali allegedly signed a false affidavit claiming she had never shared confidential information. Investigators later found records of the couple searching for ways to delete encrypted messages to avoid detection by the FBI.
“These defendants exploited their positions to steal the very innovation that keeps American technology competitive,” said U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian.
What’s Next?
The defendants are scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan van Keulen on February 20, 2026, for further proceedings. If convicted on all 14 felony counts—including conspiracy and theft of trade secrets—each could face up to 10 to 20 years in federal prison and significant financial penalties.
Google has since confirmed it is working closely with the FBI and has “enhanced safeguards” to prevent similar insider threats from compromising its next generation of hardware.
