US man sentenced for selling DuPont secrets to China

[webfact]

US man sentenced for selling DuPont secrets to China

(BBC) A US man convicted of stealing trade secrets and selling them to a Chinese state-owned company has been sentenced to 15 years in prison.

A California judge also fined businessman Walter Liew, 56, more than $28m (£16m) for the crime.

Liew and scientist Robert Maegerle were convicted in March of stealing US firm DuPont's secret method of making product whitener titanium dioxide.

The men then sold the trade secrets to China's Pangang Group.

"There are many things I would have liked to have done differently," Liew told the court on Thursday. "I regret my actions."

Judge Jeffrey White said the naturalised citizen had "turned against his adopted country over greed" in the economic-espionage case.

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-28258454


-- BBC 2014-07-11

[ClutchClark]

Only 15?

[Mango Bob]

He's a traitor and should have been shotted. Benedict Arnold.

[kamahele]

Greed will do it every time. Glad he was caught albeit a bit late.

[Krataiboy]

Man who sells formula for whitening powder to a rival firm gets 15 years jail. Bankers who launder money for drugs cartels and arms smugglers supplying terrorist groups aren't even prosecuted.

Something cockeyed with our justice system, if you ask me.

[squarethecircle]

Man who sells formula for whitening powder to a rival firm gets 15 years jail. Bankers who launder money for drugs cartels and arms smugglers supplying terrorist groups aren't even prosecuted.

Something cockeyed with our justice system, if you ask me.

Yes but there is a big concern about Chinese enterprises and stolen technology at the moment (like the FBI placing 5 Ch. military officials on its Most Wanted list in May). This costs US firms billions of dollars and may be used for Ch. Mordor war machine as well. But point taken.

[Payboy]

I'm relieved to hear Chinese TiO2 is now the same quality as the US.

[squarethecircle]

I'm relieved to hear Chinese TiO2 is now the same quality as the US.

No I know you are being sarcastic but you only need to visit China's google spinoff, Baidu, and Youtube spinoff, Youku, to see that all their efforts at stealing from functioning societies have not paid off. It is like karma and the gods' reward for thievery.

Edited July 11, 2014 by squarethecircle

[belg]

he should have sold to thailand, they love whitening products

555

[Mudcrab]

DuPont will now announce that the product is cancer causing leading to an immediate ban worldwide.

Just like they did when the patent on Freon ran out - miraculously it was proven to cause a hole in the ozone layer. And then released the next patented refrigerant.

[3NUMBAS]

very lenient for an industrial spy

[Chicog]

Man who sells formula for whitening powder to a rival firm gets 15 years jail. Bankers who launder money for drugs cartels and arms smugglers supplying terrorist groups aren't even prosecuted.

Something cockeyed with our justice system, if you ask me.

Yes but there is a big concern about Chinese enterprises and stolen technology at the moment (like the FBI placing 5 Ch. military officials on its Most Wanted list in May). This costs US firms billions of dollars and may be used for Ch. Mordor war machine as well. But point taken.

Nonsense, the corporates take this as a personal insult so have ordered his punishment.