Police are investigating two ex-employees of a Kaohsiung-based optoelectronic device maker for allegedly colluding with a Chinese businessman to steal proprietary technology for a start-up in China, the National Police Agency (NPA) said yesterday.
NPA officials said they received tip-offs about the alleged theft in March, after executives of the company in the Kaohsiung Science Park uncovered evidence that confidential materials had been stolen.
The name of the company has not been disclosed.
Photo: Huang Chia-lin, Taipei Times
Investigators said that evidence obtained in NPA and Criminal Investigation Bureau searches in September and earlier this month showed that a woman surnamed Wang (王) and another person surnamed Chen (陳) had made more than NT$10 million (US$359,247 at the current exchange rate) from selling trade secrets.
Wang, 37, was a cofounder and executive at the optoelectronics company, and had quit earlier this year, while Chen left in August, investigators said.
A review of the firm’s computer systems by its information technology department found that Wang and Chen had downloaded material for years up until August, investigators said.
Wang allegedly led the operation, working with Chen to download and copy confidential materials, they added.
Wang then passed it on to a Chinese businessman, a sales manager at the company’s branch office in China, who set up shell companies with Wang in Taiwan and China to sell the proprietary technology and devices made with it, they said.
Wang and Chen allegedly stole product design plans, system analyses, testing procedures, parts purchasing databases and other confidential files, investigators said.
NPA officials said these “trade secrets” and proprietary materials are in high demand in the industry and could be sold for large sums, as the company is a leading producer of photovoltaic quantum efficiency measurement solutions, solar simulators, photovoltaic testing devices and image sensors.
After the search this month, Wang was placed in judicial detention under restricted communication, while Chen was released on NT$60,000 bail on condition of restricted movement, NPA officials said, adding that the investigation is ongoing to find any possible accomplices connected with the case.
Prosecutors would seek to charge the duo, who deny any wrongdoing, with contravening provisions of the Trade Secrets Act (營業秘密法).
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