06:53 AM EDT, 06/14/2024 (MT Newswires) -- A Canadian resident of China pleaded guilty late Thursday for conspiring to steal and sell manufacturing trade secrets that belonged to a U.S.-based electric vehicle company to undercover government agents, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

The U.S. Department of Justice did not name the company, but a Reuters report identified Tesla (SLA) based on the description.

Klaus Pflugbeil, 58, who runs a China-based tech business for electric vehicles, is scheduled to be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison for conspiring with partner Yilong Shao to sell Tesla secrets to FBI agents posing as potential customers, according to a statement from the department.

Tesla did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment.

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