Marine biologist admits smuggling US tech to China

A Chinese businessman pleaded guilty to United States charges that he smuggled marine technology out of the US for the benefit of a Chinese military university involved in developing underwater drones.

Qin Shuren, a marine biologist and founder of a company that sells oceanographic instruments, pleaded guilty in Boston federal court to illegally exporting to China hydrophones, which can be used to monitor sound underwater.

Qin pleaded guilty to 10 counts including conspiring to commit export violations, visa fraud, money laundering and smuggling.

He admitted to charges only concerning 60 hydrophones worth US$100,000 (HK$776,000). Prosecutors agreed to recommend a prison sentence at the low end of the 87 to 108 months he faces under federal sentencing guidelines.

Defense lawyers said Qin founded LinkOcean Technologies in China in 2005 to provide oceanographic instruments to scientists and moved to the US in 2014.