'LOL ... so funny': Apple says ex-engineer stole secrets and coached a colleague to do the same. He now works at OpenAI

Apple sued (1) a erstwhile technologist and OpenAI connected July 10, alleging the technologist kept a mode into Apple's astir delicate files aft helium near — and utilized it. Chang Liu, a elder strategy electrical technologist for 8 years, defected to OpenAI successful January. Within weeks, Apple says, helium discovered a information bug fto him inactive scope the company's confidential hardware files, and alternatively than study it, helium exploited it and coached a workfellow inactive wrong Apple connected however to transcript materials without tripping the information team. The ailment names Liu, erstwhile Apple vice president Tang Tan, OpenAI, and its hardware subsidiary io Products.

None of this has been proven. A ailment lone tells the filing party's side, and the defendants person not answered successful court. Neither Liu nor Tan has commented. What the filing does connection is simply a detailed, message-by-message relationship of what Apple says happened.

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What Apple says Liu did

Liu near Apple connected January 22, 2026, and ne'er returned astatine slightest 1 institution laptop — the aforesaid machine, Apple says, helium had utilized to log into its network. Weeks later, Apple alleges, helium recovered helium could inactive scope its interior web storage, a unreality repository of confidential engineering files, done an authentication bug that should person locked him out.

He did not study it. Instead, Apple alleges, helium messaged a erstwhile workfellow inactive astatine Apple, Yu-Ting "Alyssa" Peng: "LOL, I recovered retired I tin entree the [network storage], truthful funny." Her reply, per the complaint, was "I'm ready."

Apple says that portion Liu was gathering hardware for OpenAI, helium downloaded dozens of confidential files. Among them was a compilation of method materials moving past a 1000 pages, positive presentations connected however Apple manufactures and tests its main logic boards. Apple besides alleges helium utilized Peng's Apple-issued machine to get onto the web portion she was inactive an worker and helium was not.

Liu besides told Peng however to transcript files from Apple workstations "to debar occupation with the information team," pointed her toward circumstantial task folders, and told her which confidential materials to survey earlier her ain OpenAI interview. The 2 allegedly switched to the LINE messaging app to debar detection. Peng aboriginal got an OpenAI connection and near Apple connected April 16, 2026.