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    Election software CEO is charged with allegedly giving Chinese contractors data access

    The Los Angeles County district attorney alleges that the CEO of Konnech, which makes scheduling software for poll workers, improperly gave Chinese contractors access to sensitive employee data.
    by Tom Dreisbach Oct 14, 2022 6 minutes
    A poll worker sanitizes ballot marking machines at an early voting location in Inglewood, Calif., on Oct. 29, 2020. The Los Angeles County district attorney alleges that the CEO of Konnech, which makes scheduling software for poll workers, improperly gave Chinese contractors access to sensitive employee data.

    Prosecutors in Los Angeles say Konnech, a small company that makes software for scheduling election workers, has illegally given its contractors in China access to sensitive data as part of a "massive data breach." A defense attorney said the prosecution was relying on dubious information from "one of the more discredited election deniers."

    Now, amid the allegations, a number of localities across the U.S. are weighing whether to ditch Konnech's software with just weeks until Election Day.

    Konnech has provided its PollChief software to some cities and counties across the country, including Los Angeles County.

    The LA County district attorney alleges that by giving contractors in China access to sensitive data on elections workers, Konnech has violated its contract — and criminal law.

    Konnech CEO Eugene Yu has been charged with conspiracy to embezzle public funds and grand theft by embezzlement of public funds.

    The DA's criminal complaint does not address a motivation for the alleged criminal conspiracy, and does not allege that Yu stole money, but rather that he misappropriated government funds.

    On Friday, a

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