As reported earlier, three people were alleged to be spies for stealing U.S. secrecy for China. According to the original affidavit, Chi Mak, 65, stole computer disks from Anaheim defense contractor Power Paragon, where he was lead engineer on a sensitive research project involving propulsion systems for Navy warships. He and his wife, Rebecca Laiwah Chiu, 62, allegedly copied the information to CDs, encrypted the files and delivered them to his younger brother, Tai Wang Mak. 56. The younger Mak and his wife Fuk Heung Li were arrested at Los Angeles International Airport before leaving for Hong Kong on October 28. The case against Li was dropped.
The original charges of spying were dropped November 15. Instead, they were indicted on the sole charge of failing to register as agents of a foreign government. The information about submarine technology they possessed wasn't classified,
On November 18, .Federal judge ordered the release on bail of Chi Mak, but ordered his younger brother held until another hearing later this month. (Source: H.G. Reza, Los Angeles Times, Nov. 16 and Gillian Flaccus, AP, Nov. 18, 2005).