Hong Meng |
Lawsuit: Employee secretly worked for Peking University
DuPont charges Chinese national with misappropriation of trade secrets
By Sean O'Sullivan
The DuPont Co. has filed a lawsuit against - and fired - a Chinese-born employee who was allegedly about to leave Delaware and return to China with company trade secrets. This is the second time in two years that a DuPont researcher with ties to China has been involved in an alleged theft of trade secrets.
The suit, filed in late August in the Delaware Court of Chancery, accuses Hong Meng of breach of contract and misappropriation of trade secrets - specifically research into a paper-thin computer display technology called an "organic light emitting diode" or OLED. The suit alleges Meng was planning to take the proprietary information to his alma mater, Peking University in Beijing, which is involved in research on OLED technology. Meng could not be located for comment.
DuPont Senior Vice President and General Counsel Thomas L. Sager issued a brief statement Friday [9/4/09] indicating Meng, a Chinese national with permanent residency status in the United States, was fired after an internal investigation and the lawsuit was filed "to ensure that he not use or disclose DuPont trade secrets."
This civil case is similar to a federal criminal case filed two years ago by the U.S. Attorney for Delaware against Gary Min for theft of DuPont trade secrets. [See Tech Transfer Notes March 2007.] Min, who had downloaded an estimated $400 million worth of proprietary data about some of DuPont's best-known products from a secure company database, ultimately pled guilty and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
Federal prosecutors said it was the largest criminal trade-secrets theft case ever prosecuted in Delaware. That case began with the filing of a civil lawsuit in a state court, followed by a federal criminal prosecution.
Company officials would not say whether any criminal charges are likely to follow the civil case against Meng?.According to the lawsuit, Meng, while still employed at DuPont, secretly accepted a position at Peking University without informing DuPont or obtaining consent sometime in early 2009, in violation of the terms of an employment agreement that he signed.
At the same time, Meng was scheduled to be transferred from his position in Delaware to one at DuPont's operations in China. The lawsuit did not specify where in China or which job he was to take.
As part of the transfer process, Meng's hard drive was reviewed by company officials and his illicit connection to Peking University was discovered. Further-more, DuPont discovered that Meng had downloaded confidential company files related to OLED from his company laptop to an external hard drive.
Sources: Delaware Online, 9/7/09,
DuPont charges Chinese national with misappropriation of trade secrets
By Sean O'Sullivan
The DuPont Co. has filed a lawsuit against - and fired - a Chinese-born employee who was allegedly about to leave Delaware and return to China with company trade secrets. This is the second time in two years that a DuPont researcher with ties to China has been involved in an alleged theft of trade secrets.
The suit, filed in late August in the Delaware Court of Chancery, accuses Hong Meng of breach of contract and misappropriation of trade secrets - specifically research into a paper-thin computer display technology called an "organic light emitting diode" or OLED. The suit alleges Meng was planning to take the proprietary information to his alma mater, Peking University in Beijing, which is involved in research on OLED technology. Meng could not be located for comment.
DuPont Senior Vice President and General Counsel Thomas L. Sager issued a brief statement Friday [9/4/09] indicating Meng, a Chinese national with permanent residency status in the United States, was fired after an internal investigation and the lawsuit was filed "to ensure that he not use or disclose DuPont trade secrets."
This civil case is similar to a federal criminal case filed two years ago by the U.S. Attorney for Delaware against Gary Min for theft of DuPont trade secrets. [See Tech Transfer Notes March 2007.] Min, who had downloaded an estimated $400 million worth of proprietary data about some of DuPont's best-known products from a secure company database, ultimately pled guilty and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
Federal prosecutors said it was the largest criminal trade-secrets theft case ever prosecuted in Delaware. That case began with the filing of a civil lawsuit in a state court, followed by a federal criminal prosecution.
Company officials would not say whether any criminal charges are likely to follow the civil case against Meng?.According to the lawsuit, Meng, while still employed at DuPont, secretly accepted a position at Peking University without informing DuPont or obtaining consent sometime in early 2009, in violation of the terms of an employment agreement that he signed.
At the same time, Meng was scheduled to be transferred from his position in Delaware to one at DuPont's operations in China. The lawsuit did not specify where in China or which job he was to take.
As part of the transfer process, Meng's hard drive was reviewed by company officials and his illicit connection to Peking University was discovered. Further-more, DuPont discovered that Meng had downloaded confidential company files related to OLED from his company laptop to an external hard drive.
Sources: Delaware Online, 9/7/09,
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