Former ASML Employee Accused Of Contact With Russian Intelligence

Dutch prosecutors have added more charges against a Russian national arrested in December in the Netherlands for alleged industrial espionage.

Reuters reported that local prosecutors on Thursday said that German Aksenov, who for a time used to work for Dutch computer chip equipment maker ASML, as well as Dutch chip maker NXP, had contact with Russia’s FSB intelligence service.

According to prosecutors, Aksenov is accused of stealing and selling corporate secrets to a Russian buyer who also had contact with Russia’s FSB.

IP theft, industrial espionage

This is not the first time that a former staffer at ASML has been arrested or accused of industrial espionage, and the chip giant has suffered multiple instances of IP theft over the years.

Most recently in February 2023 ASML admitted that a former employee located in China had stolen IP data, which resulted in violation of “certain export control regulations”.

German Aksenov for his part has denied any wrongdoing, and both ASML and NXP have reportedly said they do not believe Aksenov sold information that could have seriously harmed their businesses.

According to Reuters, Dutch prosecutors used a pre-trial hearing during which Aksenov’s detention was extended, to state they had received information about his contact with the FSB via a message from Dutch intelligence agency AIVD in late December.

They did not elaborate on the import of the alleged contact but said the AIVD message had underlined that “gathering intelligence over science and technology is among the FSB’s tasks”.

Prosecutor allegations

At the 43-year-old Aksenov’s initial appearance in December, prosecutors had alleged he had a contact named “Misha” who worked for a Russian firm called Innovative Engineering Centre and who was trying to set up a chip production plant in Russia.

Aksenov is allegedly suspected of stealing design manuals for microchips, microchip equipment and for technology with potential military applications that belonged to ASML, ASML subsidiary Mapper, NXP and the Delft University of Technology.

Prosecutors have reportedly dropped money laundering and corruption charges against Aksenov at Thursday’s hearing, saying their case would centre on the corporate theft and sanctions violations.

The prosecutors claimed there was a risk Aksenov might flee the Netherlands, and would continue to leak secrets if he were freed from detention.

Aksenov spoke up to protest his jail conditions, citing limited contact with his partner and family in Russia, Reuters reported.

The next hearing for Aksenov’s case is slated for 4 April.