Texas Man Admits He Smuggled U.S. Space Technology to China, Russia
Microchips used for space probes and satellites—and ballistic missiles.
Scott Audette/Reuters
A businessman in Plano, Texas, pleaded guilty Thursday to smuggling U.S. space technology to China and Russia by using his companies as a cover. Peter Zuccarelli, 62 years old, said he tried to profit from smuggling the radiation-protected microchips, violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. He reportedly used his eyeglass-lens companies to buy the microchips from U.S. manufacturers and then shipped them to customers in the other countries with incorrect labels. Such microchips are typically used in space probes and satellites, but they can also be used for ballistic missiles in the military.
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