HONOLULU -- An engineer who played a key role in developing part of the stealth technology for the B-2 bomber has been jailed in Hawaii, accused of selling secrets to a foreign country.

The Maui man is charged with espionage has apparently confessed, saying he sold secrets for profit. Noshir S. Gowadia was an engineer with the company that built the B-2 stealth bomber. He apparently admitted selling some of its secrets to eight countries.

"This is a very sensitive and ongoing investigation," FBI Agent-in-Charge Charles Goodwin said.

The FBI said Gowadia faxed a top secret document about the plane's infrared technology to a foreign official, and provided classified information to two other countries. The government won't identify the countries or the amount of the alleged payment.

Gowadia, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in India, was an engineer with Northrop Grumman from 1968 to 1986 and had helped design parts of the B-2's propulsion system that makes it difficult for enemy missiles to see.

In recent years, Gowadia, 61, worked as an independent engineer in defense research. He built a luxury home on the slopes of Mount Haleakala, Hawaii. Agents arrested Gowadia Wednesday, two weeks after federal agents raided his home.

Officials said they found proof he's had a lucrative side business, selling Stealth secrets to foreign countries.

Agents found classified documents Gowadia obtained as an engineer for Northrop Grumman, officials said. Gowadia worked on the super-secret propulsion system for B-2 bombers 20 years ago.

The government said the fax sent by Gowadia explained how to make the B-2s engine heat harder to detect.

"This document, which was a proposal for infrared suppression, was determined to be classified at the top secret level," Goodwin said.

Gowadia at first denied doing anything wrong, but then, when confronted with classified documents found in his home, he wrote out a statement, according to an FBI statement.

He wrote in his limited English that he "disclosed classified information. I wanted to help this countries to further their self aircraft protection systems. I knew it was wrong and I did it for the money."

How much money he made isn't clear. Agents said in addition to his large home, Gowadia had other property and local and foreign bank accounts.

Authorities refused to say with which countries Gowadia did business. So far, he's been charged only with sending secrets to people who aren't entitled to them. That's a 10-year felony. Cases in which secrets are sold to a potential enemy, such as China, have usually led to more serious charges.

Gowadia also worked at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. He has two companies: N.S. Gowadia, Inc. and NSG, Inc., which the government said reported about $750,000 in income between 1999-2003.

Gowadia was jailed without bail Wednesday on a charge of communicating national defense information to someone not entitled to receive it. Conviction could mean 10 years in prison.