Bill Gaede

{{Short description|Argentine engineer and programmer (born 1952)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Bill Gaede

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|mf=yes|1952|11|19}}

| birth_place = Lanús, Buenos Aires, Argentina

| occupation = Engineer, author

}}

Guillermo "Bill" Gaede (born November 19, 1952) is an Argentine engineer and programmer who is best known for Cold War industrial spying conducted while he worked at Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and Intel Corporation (Intel). While at AMD, he provided the Cuban government with technical information from the semiconductor industry which the Cubans passed on to the Soviet bloc, primarily to the Soviet Union and East Germany.{{cite news|url= https://www.nytimes.com/1995/05/22/business/engineer-says-he-stole-secrets-of-chip-makers.html |title= Engineer says he stole secrets of chip makers |work=The New York Times |date=May 22, 1995 | first=Calvin | last=Sims | access-date=2010-04-26}} In 1992, Gaede turned himself over to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), which placed him in contact with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The FBI began working with Gaede in a counter-espionage operation intended to penetrate Cuban intelligence using his contacts on the island. During this time Gaede obtained work at Intel Corp. in Chandler, Arizona. Intel Security discovered the nature of his activities at AMD and terminated him, but not before Gaede filmed Intel's state-of-the-art Pentium process from home.

Gaede fled with this technology to South America where he allegedly sold the information to Chinese and Iranian representatives. Upon his return to the United States,{{cite news |title= Confessed High-Tech Spy back in Silicon Valley: Ex-Intel Worker Claims Immunity |work=San Jose Mercury News |date=June 12, 1995}} Gaede was arrested,{{cite news |title= Argentine Engineer in Mesa held in theft of Intel secrets |work=The Arizona Republic |date=September 25, 1995}}{{cite news | title =Worker Pleads Not Guilty in Intel Spy Case | work = The New York Times | url =https://www.nytimes.com/1995/10/20/business/worker-pleads-not-guilty-in-intel-spy-case.html | date=October 20, 1995}} prosecuted, and convicted.{{cite news|title= Tech spy pleads guilty |work=San Jose Mercury News |date=March 19, 1996}}{{cite news | title = Ex-Intel Worker in Guilty Plea (Reuters)

| work = The New York Times | url =https://www.nytimes.com/1996/03/20/business/ex-intel-worker-in-guilty-plea.html | date=March 20, 1996}}{{cite news | title = Ex-Intel Employee Pleads Guilty |publisher=Electronic News | work =BNET | url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EKF/is_n2109_v42/ai_18135525/ | date=March 25, 1996}} He was convicted and sentenced to 33 months in prison in June 1996,{{cite news | title = Ex-Intel Engineer Sentenced to Prison Term | work = The New York Times | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1996/06/25/business/ex-intel-engineer-sentenced-to-prison-term.html | date=June 25, 1996}}{{cite news | title = Condenan por espionaje industrial a un ingeniero argentino | work = Clarín | language = es | url = http://www.clarin.com/diario/96/06/26/gaede.htm | date = June 26, 1996 | access-date = November 15, 2009 | archive-date = December 3, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091203150905/http://www.clarin.com/diario/96/06/26/gaede.htm | url-status = dead }}{{cite news | title = Troubling Issues in a Silicon Valley Spy Case | work = The New York Times

| url =https://www.nytimes.com/1996/07/08/business/troubling-issues-in-a-silicon-valley-spy-case.html | date=July 8, 1996 | first=Calvin | last=Sims | access-date=2010-04-26}} after which he was deported.{{citation |title= In the matter of Bill Gaede, INS 11 665 961 |date=February 28, 1998}}{{citation |title= Gaede v. Janet Reno, CIV-98-1678, CIV-97-2160-PHX RGS, US District Court, Arizona |date=May 4, 2000}} The 9th Circuit Court rejected Gaede's appeal,{{cite web | title = 145 F3d 1342, United States of America v. Gaede | url = http://openjurist.org/145/f3d/1342/united-states-of-america-v-gaede | date=May 19, 1998| volume = F3d | issue = 145 | page = 1342 | last = Circuit | first = Ninth }} and the Supreme Court denied certiorari.{{citation |title= Supreme Court, Case # 98-8940, GAEDE, BILL V. UNITED STATES, (Certiorari denied)}}

Gaede later wrote a critique of mathematical physics and the usage of the scientific method in the disciplines of physics, biology, anthropology and palaeontology according to his own interpretations.{{cite book|last=Gaede|first=Bill|title=Why God Doesn't Exist|year=2009|publisher=ViNi|isbn=978-0-9704960-5-8|pages=vi}}{{cite journal|last=Gaede|first=Bill|title=Light: The Rope Hypothesis|journal=International Conference on Physics Science and Technology|date=December 2010|pages=63–66}}{{cite journal|last=Gaede|first=Bill|title=Light: neither particle nor transverse wave|journal=Apeiron|year=2005|pages=251–268 |editor1-first=Volodimir|editor1-last=Simulik}} Gaede's theories have mainly been proliferated via the Internet.{{cite web|last=Gaede|first=Bill|title=Bill Gaede – Why God Doesn't Exist|url=https://www.youtube.com/user/bgaede|work=YouTube Channel|publisher=YouTube|access-date=May 28, 2011}}{{cite web|last=Gaede|first=Nila|title=You Stupid Relativist|url=http://www.youstupidrelativist.com/|website=www.youstupidrelativist.com|access-date=May 28, 2011}}

Early years

Gaede was born in Lanús, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, the third of four siblings of Gunther and Wiera Gaede. The Gaedes migrated to Rockford, Illinois, in 1959, but returned to Argentina in 1965 disillusioned with their experience in the United States. Although from a Peronist background, Gaede joined the Communist Party of Argentina at the age of 21 while serving as a steward of FOETRA, the union of the state-owned telephone company ENTel.{{cite book | last = Gaede | first = Eric|asin=B002I9ZH4U|author2=Gaede, Greg | title = Nila and Bill | year=2009 | publisher =ViNi }} After his application for a Cuban resident visa was turned down, he re-entered the United States in 1977, this time as a tourist.{{citation |title= FBI Report | date=September 4, 1992 | quote = In 1974, GAEDE re-entered the United States as a tourist… He did not again return to the United States until 1977. }} In the U.S., Gaede worked under the alias Ricardo Monares at Caron International in Rochelle, Illinois.{{cite news |title= Curbside Comment |work=Rochelle News-Leader |date=October 25, 1977}}

Working at AMD and connection with Cuba

Gaede moved to California and started working at AMD in Sunnyvale in September 1979. By 1982, he had worked his way up the ranks to become a process engineer. Still faithful to his socialistic principles, Gaede began to gather technical information from AMD, which he offered to the Cubans in one of his trips to Buenos Aires.{{cite news|title=Everybody's Spy |work=San Jose Mercury News, West magazine |date=December 24, 1995}}

In 1986, Gaede was transferred to AMD's plant in Austin, Texas. This move enabled Gaede to take material in the trunk of his car and deliver the technology to Cuban agents on the Mexican side of the border.{{cite web | title = James Bond hat umgeschult | work = WDR TV | publisher = Jo Angerer, Rico Carisch (German) | url = https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0266661/ | date=May 8, 1997}}

Gaede was so successful in this clandestine operation that Fidel Castro arranged to meet him{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/05/22/business/engineer-says-he-stole-secrets-of-chip-makers.html|title=Engineer says he stole secrets of chip makers|last=Sims|first=Cavin|date=May 22, 1995|work=The New York Times|access-date=November 22, 2009}} in person in Havana at the end of 1988. Gaede eventually traveled in 1990, but by then had become disenchanted with communism. The entire Soviet bloc had disintegrated during 1989.

CIA and FBI involvement

At the urging of renegade Cuban agents, Gaede turned himself over to the CIA on July 13, 1992.{{citation |title= FBI FD-302 Report |date=September 4, 1992 | quote = GAEDE visited the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Headquarters on July 13, 1992, to present their proposal and request support in their work against the Cuban Government. }} The FBI interrogated Gaede in September 1992 and began to use him in a counter-intelligence operation against Cuba. The FBI admitted reimbursing Gaede $607.16 for "expenses incurred in connection with a counterintelligence matter."{{citation |title= FBI Press Release | date=June 25, 1996}} Apparently, the plan consisted of taking advantage of Gaede's intelligence contacts on the island.

Gaede and Intel

While under FBI supervision, Gaede obtained a job as a programmer at the Intel chip plant in Chandler, Arizona. The FBI alleges that it alerted Intel of Gaede's background. Intel flatly denies the allegation, stating that had the company known of Gaede's background, "It is safe to say that Gaede would not have been hired."{{cite news|title=Nightline: Fox in the Coop |publisher=Vanderbilt Television News Archive |url=http://tvnews.vanderbilt.edu/siteindex/1996-Specials/special-1996-06-27-ABC-1.html |date=June 27, 1996 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321165636/http://tvnews.vanderbilt.edu/siteindex/1996-Specials/special-1996-06-27-ABC-1.html |archive-date=March 21, 2012 |df=mdy }}{{cite web | title =Pentium Chip: Fox in the Coop | work = ABC News | url = http://abcnewsstore.go.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/DSIProductDisplay?catalogId=11002&storeId=20051&productId=2012874&langId=-1&categoryId=100041 | date=June 27, 1996}}

Intel terminated Gaede's employment in June 1994.{{cite news | title = Ex-Intel engineer gets jail time | work = Electronic News |url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EKF/is_n2123_v42/ai_18449867/?tag=content;col1

| date=July 1, 1996 | first=Peter | last=Brown}} However, before Gaede was fired, he managed to film the entire Pentium process database from his home, ironically, using a terminal provided by Intel. He placed a camera and filmed the specs as they rolled on the screen. Shortly after, Gaede fled to South America and began to peddle the technology through the embassies of China and Iran. He allegedly counseled and trained Chinese and Iranian engineers in American manufacturing processes. Gaede was arrested by Argentine authorities as he attempted to bury tapes and documents, and was subsequently interrogated by the Secretaría de Inteligencia (SIDE) and the CIA in Buenos Aires.{{cite news |title= Apresan en Ezeiza a un doble espia | work = Crónica | language=es | date=October 8, 1994}}

Intel security manager Steve Lund arranged to meet Gaede in Argentina at the Sheraton Hotel on May 14, 1995.{{cite news |title= Un argentino confesό que fue espía industrial en Norteamérica | work = Clarín | language=es | date=May 23, 1995}} During their meeting, Gaede admitted to Lund to having stolen AMD material and equipment and giving it to the Cubans.{{citation |title= Affidavit of David J. Johnson, Special Agent of the FBI, Criminal Complaint 5 95 175 PVT, San Jose, California | date=September 22, 1995}} He also admitted taking Intel's Pentium process and providing it to foreign countries. Intel alleged, further, that Gaede sent a video of the Pentium technology he copied to rival AMD.

As a result of these acts, Intel filed a civil complaint against Gaede in Argentina{{citation |title= Intel v. Gaede, William – File No. 80,778, General San Martin, Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina | date=June 5, 1995}} and criminal charges in the U.S. District Court in San Jose, California.{{citation |title= Indictment CR 20118 RMW Northern District California, San Jose Division |date=October 18, 1995}} Gaede denied the charge of sending tapes to AMD and accused the CIA of framing him.

Return to the United States, arrest, conviction and deportation

Gaede returned to the United States in June 1995 and was arrested by the FBI on September 23. He represented himself in court and changed his plea after reaching an agreement with federal prosecutors. The agreement included a clause advising against deportation in spite of the fact that Gaede was known to be in the country illegally.{{citation |title= Department of Justice, FOIA PHO 97000011, U.S. v. Bill Gaede, Plea Agreement CR 95-20118, § 9.0 |date=March 18, 1997| quote = The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California agrees: It will inform the Immigration and Naturalization Service that the punishment in this criminal case is a full and complete vindication by the United States for defendant's misconduct, and recommend to the IN&S that no action be taken against the immigration status of defendant. It is the position of the United States Attorney's Office that there is no legal justification for IN&S to take any action whatsoever against any member of defendant's family as punishment for defendant's activities.}} The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) proceeded to process Gaede for removal despite the recommendation. Initially, Gaede prevailed in his deportation case, but the government appealed. The case was remanded,{{citation |title= Decision of the Board of Immigration Appeals, U.S. Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigration Review, Falls Church, Virginia, In deportation Proceedings, Bill Gaede, A 11 665 961 |date=October 16, 1998}} and Gaede was subsequently deported.

The Industrial Espionage Act of 1996

During Gaede's prosecution, AMD, the FBI, the U.S. Attorney, and all affected parties, complained that there were no laws to prosecute cases such as his. Shortly after Gaede's plea, the United States Congress enacted the Industrial Espionage Act of 1996,{{cite web | title = The Industrial Espionage Act of 1996 | url = http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/library/congress/1996_rpt/s104359.htm | date=August 27, 1996}} legislation that would soon be used to prosecute activities of the type Gaede was involved in.

Charges against him

National Stolen Property Act – US Code Title 18 Section 2314
Mail Fraud – US Code Title 18 Section 1341

Accusations against José Cohen Valdés and the Cuban government

Gaede created some controversy in the Cuban exile community in July 2009 by publicly accusing Miami businessman and ex-DGI (Cuban Intelligence Directorate) Captain José (Pepe) Cohen Valdés of working under the supervision of the Cuban government while on the island.{{cite web | title =Open Letter to Cuban Interior Minister Abelardo Colome Ibarra | url =http://billgaede.yolasite.com/ | date=July 6, 2009}} Gaede claims that the American intelligence agencies never recruited Cohen because they did not believe Cohen to be credible. Gaede further accuses Cohen of deliberately misinforming the American intelligence agencies by channeling false information through him to the CIA and of betraying both him and their comrade in arms, Rolando Sarraff Trujillo,{{cite web | url=http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/cuba/article5311092.html | title=Spy wars: a wilderness of mirrors in U.S.-Cuba swap | publisher=The Miami Herald | date=January 1, 2015 | access-date=January 2, 2015}} sentenced to 25 years in prison for espionage in Cuba after Cohen's defection.{{cite web | title = Rolando Sarraf Trujillo, Cuban Political Prisoner of the Week, 4/12/09 | url = http://marcmasferrer.typepad.com/uncommon_sense/2009/04/rolando-sarraf-trujillo-cuban-political-prisoner-of-the-week-41209.html | date=April 12, 2009}} Gaede accuses the Cuban government of masterminding a counter-espionage operation against the U.S. that revolved around Cohen and his commander, Major Onelio Beovides. Cohen denies the charges.{{cite web | title =Ex agente CIA acusa a un agente CIA cubano | work = Mega TV (Maria Elvira TV – Spanish) | url =https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISCk8iESKNw | date=July 21, 2009}}{{cite web | title = Ex espias de la CIA Cohen y Gaede en conflicto | work = Mega TV (Maria Elvira TV – Spanish) | url = http://blog.mariaelvira.tv/2009/07/24/ex-espias-de-la-cia-cohen-y-gaede-en-conflicto.aspx | date = 2009-07-24 | access-date = November 15, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100415185807/http://blog.mariaelvira.tv/2009/07/24/ex-espias-de-la-cia-cohen-y-gaede-en-conflicto.aspx | archive-date = April 15, 2010 | url-status = dead }}

Critique of mathematical physics

In 1997, Gaede developed a critique of mathematical physics which was centred upon the semantic issues of the popular presentations of general relativity, quantum mechanics, and string theory. On February 20, 1998, Gaede completed his critique in book form, along with a theory of light, magnetism and gravity developed as a recreated model of physics in light of his deconstruction of the old models. His model is known as the rope hypothesis. This book remained unpublished until 2008, under the title Why God Doesn't Exist, with his major contention being that mathematical physics constitutes a religion and also a possible premise for arguments relating to the existence of God. The vast array of his arguments revolve around the fallacy of reification, or misplaced concreteness. Gaede claims that all theories of mathematical physics use abstract concepts as physical objects acting in reality. "Forces", "waves", "points", "fields", and so on, are not physical, but conceptual, according to Gaede.{{cite book|last=Gaede|first=Bill|title=Why God Doesn't Exist|year=2009|publisher=ViNi|isbn=978-0-9704960-5-8|pages=viii}}

''El Crazy Che''

A documentary titled El Crazy Che was released at the Buenos Aires International Festival on April 17, 2015.{{cite web | title = El Crazy Che | website=metichefilms.com.ar | url = https://metichefilms.com.ar/en/the-crazy-che | date=April 17, 2015}}{{cite web | title = El Crazy Che | work = BAFICI | url =http://festivales.buenosaires.gob.ar/2015/bafici/en/pelicula/167 | date=April 17, 2015}} This biographical movie narrates Gaede's spying activities in favor of Cuba, Iran and China.{{cite news | title = Film Tells Story of Argentine Who Spied for Cuba, U.S. | work = Latin American Herald Tribune | url = http://laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=2384533&CategoryId=13003 | date = April 18, 2015 | access-date = April 28, 2015 | archive-date = July 12, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150712175248/http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=2384533&CategoryId=13003 | url-status = dead }}{{cite web | title = La increíble historia del "Crazy Che", el argentino que espió para Cuba y EE.UU. | work = BBC | url =https://www.bbc.co.uk/mundo/noticias/2015/04/150416_espia_cuba_eeuu_crazy_che_vs

| date=April 17, 2015}} (Spanish) Gaede says he turned Rolando Sarraff Trujillo over to the Cuban authorities in 1994 by mailing a letter to the Cuban Intelligence Directorate. According to Gaede, Sarraff Trujillo had no bearing on the identification of Ana Montes.{{cite web | title = Rolando Sarraff Trujillo didn't out Ana Montes | website = youstupidrelativist.com | url =http://youstupidrelativist.com/Rolando-Sarraff/Roly5Eng.html | date=April 28, 2015}} The United States exchanged the remaining members of the Cuban Five for Sarraff Trujillo during the Cuban Thaw because the Government regarded Alan Gross to be a hostage.{{cite web | title = Spy Wars: A Wilderness of Mirrors in U.S.-Cuba Swap | website = cubaconfidential.wordpress.com| url = https://cubaconfidential.wordpress.com/2015/01/01/spy-wars-a-wilderness-of-mirrors-in-u-s-cuba-swap | date=January 1, 2015}}

El Crazy Che was available on Netflix as of October 15, 2017.[https://www.netflix.com/title/80192924 Netflix] {{dead link|date=July 2023}}

Nowadays El Crazy Che is available on Amazon Prime,{{cite web | url=https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B08T6VYPZY/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r | title=Watch el Crazy Che | Prime Video | website=Amazon }} TubiTv,{{cite web | url=https://tubitv.com/movies/579622/el-crazy-che | title=El Crazy Che (2015) }} and other streaming platforms.