WASHINGTON – U.S. authorities on Tuesday arrested a California woman for illegally exporting sensitive space communication technology to her native country China, the U.S. Justice Department said in a statement.
According to international media, the accused named Si Chen, also known as Cathy Chen could be awarded jail for term up to 150 years if she was indicted of all charges leveled by a federal grand jury on April 27, the department said.
She pleaded not guilty during hearing at U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, while a bond hearing regarding pending bail pending has been adjourned for Thursday, according to a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
She was facing charges of violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act that handles the export of certain goods and technology from the United States.
The allegation says Chen bought and smuggled sensitive materials to China without getting required export licenses. She also tried to export space communications applications by falsifying the paperwork used in shipping of such things.
