The telecommunications company could face a fine of up to $60 million for stealing walkie talkie-related trade secrets.

Chinese telecommunications company Hytera Communications has pleaded guilty in Illinois federal court to stealing Motorola Solutions trade secrets covering digital mobile radio technology, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Chicago said on Tuesday.

Hytera pleaded guilty in federal court in Chicago to a single criminal count of conspiracy to steal trade secrets, under an agreement announced Tuesday. The company and seven employees had been indicted in 2022.

Hytera could pay a fine of up to $60 million at sentencing in November. The Shenzhen, China-based company was previously ordered to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in damages in a lawsuit Motorola Solutions filed for stealing trade secrets.

Hytera Communications Corp. admitted to recruiting and hiring former Motorola Solutions employees and directing them to steal digital mobile radio technology.

Chinese tech company pleads guilty to theft of its rival’s trade secrets to develop a competing line of radios | Hytera also reaches plea agreement with US Department of Justice in a related criminal conspiracy case. Already registered?

A Chinese company pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing trade secrets from Motorola Solutions. It’s the latest twist in the long-running saga of corporate espionage between Hytera Communications and Motorola that has played out around the globe for nearly a decade.