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DOJ Drops Espionage Charges Against DuPont's Chinese Competitor

News.Bloomberglaw • July 14, 2026

The Justice Department voluntarily dismissed its criminal case against Chinese state-owned enterprise Pangang Group Co. Ltd. , which alleged a sweeping plan involving the Chinese government to steal DuPont’s trade secrets.

The dismissal of the indictment Monday, only a few days into a month-long trial, ends a 15-year criminal case.

Pangang allegedly targeted the Delaware chemical giant’s process for manufacturing titanium dioxide, a chemical known for its especially brilliant whiteness that’s used in countless consumer products like paints, papers, plastics, and lotions.

Pangang’s lead trial attorney John Potter of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP declined to on the ...

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DOJ Dismisses 15-Year Economic Espionage Case Against Pangang Group The U.S. Department of Justice has dropped its espionage charges against China's Pangang Group, a state-owned enterprise, which were based on allegations of a conspiracy to steal DuPont's trade secrets related to titanium dioxide manufacturing. This decision comes just days into a trial that had been anticipated to last a month, concluding a 15-year legal battle. The charges claimed that Pangang, with the backing of the Chinese government, sought to unlawfully acquire proprietary information from DuPont, a major player in the chemical industry. The dismissal was confirmed by Pangang's lead attorney, John Potter, who represents the company and its affiliates. The case's end marks a significant moment in U.S.-China trade relations, particularly in the context of economic espionage. The implications of this case extend to international trade practices and intellectual property rights. The trial's abrupt conclusion raises questions about the effectiveness of U.S. legal measures against foreign economic espionage. 2 sources 43

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