BALLOT SECRETS

Election Software CEO Arrested on Data Theft Charges

His company has been at the heart of claims made by 2020 election deniers.

The CEO of a software company often discussed by election deniers was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of stealing data on hundreds of poll workers in Los Angeles County. Eugene Yu, the founder and top executive of Konnech, was detained in Michigan over the alleged theft of personal identifying information, while investigators also seized hard drives and other “digital evidence.” In 2020, Konnech won a five-year contract with LA County for software designed to track election workers’ schedules, payroll, training, and communications, county clerk Dean C. Logan said. Election deniers have repeatedly accused Konnech of storing the sensitive data on servers in China, which the company has repeatedly denied. But the office of Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón says its investigators did find data stored in China. Officials didn’t specify what information was taken, but said it didn’t alter election results.