Callahan & Blaine

Forty-four-year-old Hong Meng, former senior research scientist at DuPont, was recently sentenced to 14 months in prison for stealing trade secrets from his employer. Meng is a Chinese nationalist who had obtained permanent residency in the United States. Authorities say he was attempting to set up a rival business in China using the information stolen from DuPont.

Meng worked on organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) at DuPont, a technology that allows light to be emitted from a very thin film. It has applications for television screens, portable computer screens, lighting and other emerging technologies.

In 2009 Meng was poised for a job transfer with DuPont to Shanghai, China. During a routine pre-move screening of Meng’s personal computer, DuPont discovered that Meng intended to leave DuPont and accept a job at Peking University in China instead. He planned to head a new department on OLEDs at Peking University. DuPont also discovered that Meng gave a presentation to the Chinese government while on a DuPont business trip, asking for support to open a new OLED factory in China that would employ 300-1000 people.

Meng was also found guilty of emailing information about OLEDs to Peking University and transferring DuPont information to his personal computer. Furthermore, Meng mailed chemical samples that included some of DuPont’s trade secret compounds to a colleague at Northwestern University. Meng instructed his colleague to forward the samples to China.

There is no evidence that any third party ever accessed the technology and information Meng intended to take to China. Meng faces automatic deportation when he is released from U.S. prison.

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If you are involved in a trade secret or business related legal matter, contact Callahan & Blaine to discuss your case today.