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Indian-origin techie fined for misappropriating Intel trade secrets
As a consequence, Gupta was dismissed from his position and subsequently sentenced to two years of probation.
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Bhavana P - Mon, 18, Aug 2025
- 15:05 EDT
- 14
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Stock image / Shutterstock
A U.S. District Court has found Varun Gupta, an Indian-origin techie, guilty of disclosing confidential Intel documents to Microsoft.
Gupta, a former Intel employee and graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), was ordered to pay $34,472 and was also sentenced to probation.
Prior to departing Intel in early 2020 to join Microsoft, Gupta, who served as a product marketing engineer for nearly a decade, was found to have copied thousands of confidential files from the company's internal systems. Among the stolen documents was a key presentation outlining Intel’s pricing strategy for a major client.
Prosecutors alleged that the information not only helped Gupta secure a senior role at Microsoft but also provided his new employer with an advantage in negotiations against Intel. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Narus pressed for an eight-month federal prison term, citing the calculated nature of Gupta’s actions.
However, Judge Amy Baggio ruled against incarceration, stating that the financial penalty, coupled with the damage to Gupta’s professional reputation, was punishment enough. The fine was calculated to reflect the cost of the proposed prison sentence.
Gupta’s defense lawyer, David Angeli, described the incident as a “serious error in judgment” and emphasized that his client had already paid a steep price, including a $40,000 civil settlement to Intel and the loss of his career in the technology sector.
Following the case, Gupta has relocated to France with his family and moved away from the semiconductor industry. He is now pursuing studies in vineyard management, with aspirations of entering the wine business as a technical director in viticulture.
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