bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

sponsorType

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Reuters

A Chinese man pleaded guilty to trying to export weapons-grade carbon fibre to China from the United States.
He was caught in a cybersting after packing the material in a plain brown box that prosecutors said was labelled "clothing".

	He was too eager to make some money and did something stupid

	Ming Hai, lawyer
Lisong Ma, 34, entered his plea on Thursday before US Magistrate Judge Vera Scanlon in Brooklyn, New York.
He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, and four to five years under recommended federal sentencing guidelines.
The case is part of an effort by federal authorities to stop the export of technology that could be put to military or nuclear use in other countries even if, as Ma's lawyer said, that is not the intent of the shippers.
Ma has been in federal custody since his April 1 arrest at Los Angeles International Airport. Prosecutors said that in February and March, while still in China, Ma tried to arrange online with undercover agents a purchase of five tonnes of carbon fibre, ostensibly for bicycle frames, electric blankets and fishing rods.
After travelling to the United States to meet the agents, Ma paid US$400 for a spool of Toray-type, T-800 carbon fibre and tried to ship it in a box with an invoice that said it contained clothing, prosecutors said.
Agents intercepted the box and arrested Ma before he could board a flight to Shanghai, prosecutors said.
"Today's conviction should leave no doubt that the United States will use every available technique, including covert cyber operations, to maintain the superiority of our nation's armed forces," said US Attorney Loretta Lynch in a statement.
Ming Hai, a lawyer for Ma, said his client had not been acting on behalf of the Chinese government or military.
"He started up his own business, was too eager to make some money and did something stupid," Hai said.
"Unfortunately, he contacted an undercover agent."
Ma pleaded guilty to violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which bars the unlicensed export of the T-800 fibre to China.


Chinese man admits bid to export weapons-grade carbon fibre from US

News

World