• By Alex David
  • Sun, 17 Aug 2025 11:44 PM (IST)
  • Source:JND

Varun Gupta, a former Intel engineer who illegally shared its business documents with Microsoft (where he eventually found employment), has been sentenced to two years' probation and ordered to pay over $34,000 as punishment for illegally disclosing them to Microsoft - his new employer.

Gupta had served for nearly 10 years at Intel as a product marketing engineer before being fired from Microsoft after allegations of his misconduct were disclosed by Oregon Live, according to Oregon Live's report.

The Trade Secrets Case

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney William Narus, Gupta copied thousands of confidential Intel files onto a portable hard drive before leaving the company in 2020. He then repeatedly accessed those documents while at Microsoft, using them to gain leverage during contract negotiations with Intel over processor-related deals.

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Among the stolen materials was a PowerPoint presentation detailing Intel’s pricing strategy with another major client.

“Not only did the defendant take proprietary materials with him, he also used those materials during negotiations against his prior employer,” Narus said in a sentencing memo.

The Sentencing Debate

Federal prosecutors initially requested an eight-month prison term as a means of discouraging such misconduct within an industry characterised by high employee turnover rates.

David Angeli, Gupta's defence attorney, noted the severe personal and professional repercussions incurred by Gupta due to this scandal:

  • He lost his senior role at Microsoft.
  • He settled a civil lawsuit with Intel for $40,000.
  • His career in the tech industry was “effectively over” due to reputational damage.

Gupta’s Statement and New Life

In a statement to the court, Gupta apologised to Intel, Microsoft, and the U.S. government for the consequences of his actions.

He described the daily struggle of living with his decision and expressed concerns about his “legacy.” Having left the tech world behind, Gupta has since moved with his family to France, where he is studying vineyard management and hopes to build a new career in the wine industry.