When it was thought that a Chinese scientist working for NASA might be sneaking secrets out of the U.S., the laptop he had twice taken to China was confiscated. But instead of classified information, authorities found pirated movies and TV shows — and porn. Due to the misuse, Bo Jiang was ordered to leave the United States within 48 hours.
After Jiang's arrest in March, Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., named Jiang during a House hearing about alleged security violations at NASA field centers.
According to court documents, Jiang was previously characterized as a "low risk" hire at NASA, despite his status as a foreign national, because his team was "not working on classified material or any development that is critical to the success of a current mission."
But even if Jiang didn't have access to any such information, there are still directives barring NASA laptops "from being used for official business on international trips without prior written permission of the Chief Information Officer for NASA's Langley Research Center."
Jiang took his laptop and an external hard drive along on two trips to China without written permission, according to court documents, which also said that while Jiang was in China, he corresponded with colleagues about work-related matters. (He received unofficial permission to take the laptop on the first China trip, but from someone who was not in authority to give it.)
Once NASA officials found out about Jiang's traveling laptop, they began an investigation. They instructed Jiang to return the laptop and the external hard drive, banned him from NASA's Langley Research Center and terminated his employment.
A close examination of the laptop didn't reveal any classified or "export-controlled" information (though there was "extensive NASA proprietary and confidential information" directly relating to Jiang's work). There were also "unauthorized computer software programs, numerous sexually explicit images and numerous videos of copyrighted movies and television shows."
Court documents show that it was clear Jiang was aware that NASA policy barred him from storing such items on the NASA-issued laptop, and that the installation of unapproved software was prohibited — not to mention taking the computer and his work outside of the country without written permission.
Jiang pled guilty to violating the NASA directive that addresses the personal use of government-issued office equipment.
The maximum penalties for the offense include one year of prison and a fine of $100,000. Jiang was sentenced to time served and one year of probation. He was also directed to leave the U.S. within 48 hours of the judgment. (It's worth noting that his visa to remain in the U.S. expired on Feb. 6, leaving him with a 60-day grace period to leave the country.)
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