Ex-Google Engineer Charged With Stealing Secrets, Pleads Not Guilty

A pioneer in self-driving car technology, Anthony Levandowski, has been formally charged with stealing trade secrets from his former employer Google before joining rival Uber Technologies.

Levandowski was charged with 33 counts, following allegations similar to those Google’s Waymo self-driving car unit made in a 2017 civil lawsuit against Uber.

The civil suit was later settled but Google has continued to pursue 39-year-old Levandowski, who pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The judge set preliminary bail at US$300,000, along with two properties worth $2 million as collateral. The case will be heard again on September 4.

Levandowski had to surrender his US and French passports and wear an ankle bracelet to monitor his whereabouts, after prosecutors expressed concern that he might be a flight risk.