Federal Judge Imposes 50 Million Dollar Fine On Chinese Firm Hytera For Stealing Motorola Digital Radio Technology

Hytera Communications must pay 50 million dollars and restitution for stealing digital radio technology from Motorola Solutions following a Chicago federal ruling.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 10, 2026, 10:57 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from justice.gov

Chinese Telecommunications Firm Penalized For Decade Long Tech Theft

A major legal battle involving international corporate espionage concluded in a Chicago federal court as a judge finalized sentencing for Hytera Communications Corp Ltd. The Chinese firm was found guilty of a criminal conspiracy to siphon exclusive technology from Illinois based Motorola Solutions Inc. Investigators revealed that the scheme began as early as 2006 when Hytera targeted and recruited key Motorola engineers. These individuals were directed to illegally download and transfer proprietary data including highly sensitive source code for digital mobile radio technology. By utilizing these stolen assets Hytera was able to bypass years of expensive research and development to launch competing products in the global market.

Court Mandates Massive Restitution And Strict Probation Terms

U.S. District Judge John J. Tharp Jr handed down the sentence which includes a five year term of probation alongside the 50 million dollar fine. A critical component of the ruling is the 214 million dollar restitution order intended to compensate Motorola for its losses. The court stipulated that these payments will be offset by any funds previously recovered through related civil litigation. During the probation period Hytera must maintain a rigorous compliance program and submit annual reports to the United States government to ensure no further intellectual property violations occur.

Internal Records Reveal Deliberate Recruitment Of Engineers

Evidence presented during the proceedings showed that Hytera’s growth in the digital radio sector was built on a foundation of stolen intelligence. The company successfully lured several Motorola employees who brought with them thousands of confidential documents. These engineers admitted to using the stolen information to develop Hytera’s product line through 2020. Federal prosecutors noted that the theft allowed the Chinese company to compete unfairly by selling technology it did not legitimately develop. The FBI Chicago Field Office led the investigation highlighting the case as a significant victory against foreign efforts to undermine American innovation.