Former Intel Engineer Sentenced to 2 Years' Probation and ₹30 Lakh Fine for Sharing Confidential Documents with Microsoft.

Former Intel engineer Varun Gupta has been sentenced to two years' probation and fined over $34,000 for sharing thousands of confidential documents with Microsoft. Gupta worked at Intel for nearly ten years as a product marketing engineer before resigning in 2020. He used the documents during negotiations with Intel, particularly in a deal involving computer processors. Gupta apologized for his actions and expressed regret for the time and resources spent due to his "bad decision."

Former Intel engineer Varun Gupta has been sentenced to two years of probation and fined $34,472 for sharing thousands of confidential documents with Microsoft. Gupta, who worked at Intel for nearly a decade as a product marketing engineer, resigned in January 2020 and joined Microsoft shortly after [1].

The documents Gupta took included a PowerPoint presentation outlining Intel’s pricing strategies for a major client, which gave Microsoft an edge in negotiations with Intel. Prosecutors argued that Gupta's actions were deliberate and repeated, instrumental in securing his new role and aiding Microsoft in their negotiations [1].

Gupta's lawyer, David Angeli, admitted the theft was a "serious error in judgment" but insisted that Gupta had already faced significant consequences, including the loss of senior industry roles and a civil lawsuit settlement of $40,000 [1].

US District Judge Amy Baggio sentenced Gupta to two years of probation and a fine that reflected the cost of eight months in federal prison, underscoring the seriousness of his misconduct. However, she also noted that Gupta's reputation had been severely damaged, considering this as sufficient punishment [1].

Gupta has since relocated to France with his family, where he is studying vineyard management and plans to reinvent himself in the wine industry. He aims to become a technical director in viticulture, signaling a departure from the semiconductor industry [1].

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[1] https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/technology/news/story/ai-engineer-varun-gupta-an-iit-grad-gets-probation-and-34000-fine-for-leaking-intel-secrets-to-microsoft-2772395-2025-08-17