Editor’s Note: This article about Hytera Communications and Motorola Solutions first published on Jan. 14, 2025. We updated it as of Jan. 24, 2025.
CHICAGO — Hytera Communications Corp. Ltd. just entered a felony guilty plea and executed a plea agreement to address the U.S. Department of Justice’s criminal prosecution for misappropriation and theft of Motorola Solutions‘ trade secrets and proprietary information, SSI has learned.
In pleading guilty to felony conspiracy charges, Hytera “admitted that it knowingly agreed to take, without authorization, Motorola Solutions documents and source code related to DMR technology, and that it used that information to develop Hytera DMR products,” according to the announcement by Motorola. SSI could not reach Hytera officials for comment.
“Hytera’s admission of guilt in federal court validates the extensive evidence that it is a bad actor and felon, and we remain firmly resolute to holding Hytera accountable for its egregious illegal conduct,” says Greg Brown, chairman and CEO at Motorola Solutions, in the announcement. “I appreciate the Department of Justice for its diligence in pursuing this matter.
“This case is critical validation that our government is fully committed to prosecuting criminals who steal from American companies. We will continue to vigorously defend our valuable intellectual property and trade secrets for the benefit of our company, our customers and our shareholders,” he says.
Inside Motorola’s Trade Secret Case Against Hytera
In 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice filed felony charges against Hytera and seven of its employees, including former executive Gee Siong (G.S.) Kok. The federal grand jury indictment included 21 counts of federal criminal trade secret violations, including “engaging in a decade-long criminal conspiracy to steal and use Motorola Solutions’ trade secrets and proprietary information,” the announcement says.
Kok pled guilty in 2023 and is awaiting sentencing; the other six Hytera employees are currently at large.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Hytera is expected to be sentenced in November 2025, at which time the U.S. District Court is expected to order Hytera to pay restitution to Motorola Solutions and a criminal fine to the U.S. government.
Hytera’s guilty plea “does not resolve Motorola Solutions’ ongoing civil litigation against Hytera,” the announcement says. Motorola Solutions is continuing to pursue collection of the more than $471 million judgment already awarded to it in its trade secret and copyright infringement litigation against Hytera in the United States, as well as injunctive and other relief to address Hytera’s misconduct.
