Hong Kong (CNN Business) The US government has alleged that a GE engineer and Chinese businessman stole tech secrets with the intention of passing them onto Beijing.

GE GE The Justice Department in a release Tuesday night said it had charged formeremployee Zheng Xiaoqing and Chinese businessman Zhang Zhaoxi with economic espionage. The department said the pair had conspired to steal GE trade secrets related to turbine technologies for the benefit of the Chinese government.

The indictment claims Zheng, while employed at the conglomerate's New York office, used his access to GE's computer system to download tech designs and other files between 2016 and 2018. Zheng — a US citizen — subsequently emailed the files to China-based businessman Zhang.

The Justice Department alleges that GE's technology was used to benefit Chinese companies in which the pair had business interests. The indictments also alleged Zheng and Zhang stole the GE designs with the knowledge that the theft would benefit Chinese government-sponsored research institutes with which they have ties. The indictments further allege the two have received financial support from Chinese authorities via these research institutes.

The US government is seeking lengthy prison sentences and financial penalties for Zheng and Zhang.

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