Cupertino Woman Gets 60-Day Home Detention and Probation for Felony

Ming Shao, a Cupertino woman sentenced to one year of probation and 60 days of home detention for breaching the mail system of her former employer and posting confidential company documents on public websites, was ordered Thursday to pay more than $20,000 in restitution and a $2,000 fine.

During her home detention, Shao will be allowed to leave her Cupertino home only for routine outings such as medical appointments, religious services or work, according to Jack Gillund, U.S. Attorney’s Office spokesman.

It is not known at this time if Shao is employed.

On Nov. 18, 2010, Shao pleaded guilty to one count of  felony computer intrusion against PanTerra Networks Inc., a company she worked for from August 2007 to July 2009, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Shao was the director of marketing when she left the company.

Shao reached a plea deal in which she admitted to unauthorized use of the company’s computer systems and e-mail accounts of two PanTerra employees, which she used to obtain confidential information with a value of at least $5,000.

When PanTerra discovered some of its sensitive information posted on public telecommunications industry websites, it conducted an internal investigation.

Shao admitted to downloading at least some of the information to her personal computer.

The financial loss to PanTerra was $10,000-$30,000, and includes the cost incurred by the company in responding to Shao’s computer intrusion.

The FBI conducted a five-month-long investigation, which led to Shao’s prosecution and sentencing.

PanTerra declined to comment on the sentencing.