[3][failed verification] He had been briefed every year on regulations regarding documents designated "For Official Use Only" (FOUO)[8] and items restricted by export controls.
His defense argued that making the data accessible to scrutiny by the general public negated its military value and made it acceptable to transport outside the United States, despite the fact that Chi Mak was the one who released the information, without authorization[citation needed].
[5][9][10] The information Mak passed on allegedly helped China build its own version of Aegis, an American radar system built to protect military ships.
[3] The IEEE presentations cited by prosecution in the trial[12] are currently available on a worldwide basis, due to Chi Mak's unauthorized releases.
[13][14] Mak's brother and sister-in-law were apprehended by the FBI after boarding a flight to Hong Kong carrying one encrypted CD which contained defense-related documents.