RCMP arrests Hydro-Québec employee for allegedly sending secrets to China

The RCMP said on Monday that a Montreal-area Hydro-Québec employee faces four espionage-related charges for transmitting trade secrets to China to “harm Canada’s economic interests.” .

Yuesheng Wang, 35, will appear in court in Longueuil, Couy on Tuesday, facing charges of obtaining trade secrets, unauthorized computer use, and fraud and treason by a public official. Police said the national security enforcement team launched an investigation in August after receiving a complaint from Hydro-Québec’s corporate security department.

“Foreign interference is a priority for many law enforcement and intelligence agencies around the world,” the RCMP said in a news release.

“Hydro-Québec is considered a critical infrastructure and a strategic interest to be protected.”

Wang, a resident of Candiac, south of Montreal, was said to have had access to relevant information as part of his work with the state’s public utility, police said.

In a statement, Hydro-Québec said Wang was a researcher working on battery materials at the Center of Excellence for Transport Electrification and Energy Storage, known as CETEES. The utility said it immediately flagged down authorities after its security team launched its own investigation.

“Our detection and intervention mechanisms allowed investigators to alert the RCMP of this issue, and we have worked closely with them ever since,” said Dominic Roy, Senior Director of Corporate Security. says.

“No organization is safe from situations like this, which is why we must always remain vigilant and transparent, and never tolerate violations of our company’s Code of Ethics.”

The former employee did not have access to information related to Hydro-Québec’s “core mission” and access was revoked when suspicion was raised, the company added. The center where he worked is developing technology for electric vehicles and energy storage systems, he said.

The RCMP said foreign interference has emerged as a priority for law enforcement, adding that it is working with at-risk sectors to improve Canada’s response and resilience.

This report by the Canadian Press was first published on November 14, 2022.