Hello InfraGard, Eastern Carolina Chapter member,

You are cordially invited to attend our next Eastern Carolina InfraGard meeting on Wednesday August 17th at Cisco from 1-4pm. Check out this excellent presentation from the FBI's counterintelligence team:

In August 2014, CREE, a global technology company in Research Triangle Park, contacted the FBI and reported that a company employee, Lin CHENG, had emailed a file containing proprietary, trade secret information, valued at about $50 million, to her personal email account. FBI investigation revealed CHENG was in extended email contact with an individual in China regarding joining a start-up company developing the same trade secreted technology as CREE. In October 2014, CHENG was terminated by CREE, but was still bound by a non-competition agreement for one year. On February 2015, a federal search warrant, executed at CHENG’s residence, revealed she had signed a contract with a US based company, funded by Chinese investors, that was developing the same trade secreted technology as CREE. In September 2015, CHENG was indicted on 10 counts, including theft of trade secrets pursuant to Title 18. United States Code, sections 1832 (a) (3), et al. In December 2015, CHENG pled guilty to one count of theft of trade secrets, and was sentenced to one year in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

The case presentation will have a follow up panel discussion with the FBI case agent, FBI Intelligence Analyst and the Assistant United States Attorney who prosecuted the case.

Biographies:

Assistant United States Attorney Graham Green works for the United States Department of Justice in the office of the United States Attorney Middle District of North Carolina. Mr. Green joined the MDNC USAO in 2005 after an eight year career as a state prosecutor. Mr. Green serves as the Middle District Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council Coordinator and is a representative for the USAO to the North Carolina Joint Terrorism Task Force Executive Committee. He also serves as the office's National Security Cyber Specialist. Mr. Green has worked closely with a variety of Federal agencies while prosecuting national security matters as well as the theft of intellectual property. Additionally, he prosecutes cases including violent felonies, fraud and narcotics trafficking. Mr. Green has argued before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Special Agent Patrick Berckmiller works for the United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Charlotte Division, Raleigh Resident Agency. SA Berckmiller was previously assigned to the FBI’s Newark Field Division, both in Newark’s Headquarters Office and in the Trenton Resident Agency. Prior to joining the FBI, SA Berckmiller was an investigator and polygraph examiner for the Department of Defense for 10 years. SA Berckmiller serves as a firearms instructor for the FBI and held the role as the Counterproliferation Coordinator for the Charlotte Division. SA Berckmiller has investigated numerous cases involving the Theft of Trade Secrets, Espionage, Foreign Counterintelligence and Counterproliferation. SA Berckmiller has been most recently assigned to the FBI’s Cyber Division to investigate computer crimes, both inside the United States and from foreign adversaries.

Intelligence Analyst Veronica Mobley works for the United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Charlotte Division, Raleigh Resident Agency. Veronica has been an FBI intelligence analyst for the past 13 years primarily working Counterintelligence matters. Veronica has substantive experience as a tactical and strategic analyst. Prior to the FBI, Veronica was a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State where she worked at the U.S. Embassies in Yaoundé, Cameroon and London, England.

As an added bonus, the FBI will provide a 30 minute presentation on the Ransomware threat. Ransomware has been around for a few years, but during 2015, law enforcement saw an increase in these types of cyber attacks, particularly against organizations because the payoffs are higher. And if the first three months of this year are any indication, the number of ransomware incidents—and the ensuing damage they cause—will grow even more in 2016 if individuals and organizations don’t prepare for these attacks in advance. Click on this link for additional information: http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2016/april/incidents-of-ransomware-on-the-rise
Supervisory Special Agent Jessica Nye is the current Supervisor of the FBI Cyber Squad in Raleigh. SSA Nye spent eight years working in the Baltimore Field Office on their Cyber Squad and two years at FBI Cyber Division Headquarters in Washington D.C. prior to being stationed in Raleigh. SSA Nye’s investigative background has focused on cyber related matters to include computer intrusion investigations, intellectual property rights violations, theft of trade secrets, economic espionage and other investigations.

Hosted at Cisco for Wednesday August 17th from 1:00pm – 4:00pm
Cisco Systems, Building #5
7025 Kit Creek Road
Morrisville, NC 27560