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Computer Crime and
Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) 

Economic Espionage Act (EEA) Cases

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Below is a summary chart of cases prosecuted under the Economic Espionage Act, 18 U.S.C. §§ 1831-9. This chart does not reflect ongoing investigations into the theft of trade secrets. Click on the name of the case to read a press release about the case. We have also provided information about significant cases that involve allegations of trade secret theft but did not include or have not yet resulted in a formal charge under the EEA. The table contains only those cases in which charges have been publically filed as of the date of the most recent update to this page and is provided for informational purposes only.

 
Economic Espionage
Act Cases		 Trade Secret
Colloquial Case Name (District)
Press Release Date
or Date of Most
Recent Court Activity		 EEA
Comp. Intrusion
ITSP
Copyright
Mail Fraud
Wire Fraud
Ind.
Corp.
Type of
Information
Stolen
 
U.S. v. Rector
(M.D. Fla.)
January 25, 2002		 EEA
Comp. Intrusion
2
-
Insider
Ex-Employee
drug delivery system formulas
14
  
FBI Sting
U.S. v. Say Lye Ow
(N.D. Cal.)
December 11, 2001		 EEA
1
-
Ex-Employee
micro-process
or research
24
  
  
U.S. v. Chang
(N.D. Cal.)
December 4, 2001		 EEA
2
-
Insider
customer information
 12 
  60K
  
U.S. v. Petrolino
(S.D. Fla.)
November 29, 2001
EEA
EEA Conspiracy
2
-
Outsider
securities broker customer and account information
  
  
  
U.S. v. Wu
(W.D.N.Y.)
July 31, 2001
EEA
1
-
Ex-Employee
network
switch plans
  
  
  
U.S. v. Daddona
(D. Conn)
June 6, 2001
EEA
Comp. Intrusion
1
-
Insider
engineering
plans
  
  
  
U.S. v. Okamoto
(N.D. Ohio)
May 3, 2001
EEA
ITSP
2
-
Insider
DNA cell line
  
  
First indictment
under 18
U.S.C §1831
U.S. v. ComTriad
(D.N.J.)
May 31, 2001
EEA Conspiracy
3
1
Insider
Outsider
computer
source code
  
  
  
U.S. v. Wang
(N.D. Cal.)
April 26, 2001
EEA
1
1
Insider
usltrasound machine blueprints
  
  
  
U.S. v. Estrada
(S.D.N.Y.)
March 21, 2001
EEA
Comp. Intrusion
ITSP
1
-
Outsider
confidential documents
  
  
FBI Sting
U.S. v. Cullen
(W.D. Ky.)
April 18, 2001
EEA Conspiracy
EEA Attempt
Wire Fraud
2
-
Outsider
computer
source code
  
  
  
U.S. v. Dai
(W.D.N.Y.)
August 23, 2001
(sentencing)		 Other
1
-
Ex-Employee
computer
source code
 24 prob.  
 50K 
Pled guilty to §2701
violation
U.S. v. Morch
(N.D. Cal.)
March 21, 2001		 EEA
Comp. Intrusion
1
-
Ex-Employee
software design documents
36 prob.
  
Charged under EEA;
Pled to §1030
violation
U.S. v. Corgnati
(S.D. Fla.)
June 12, 2000
(sentencing)		 EEA
1
-
Outsider
software
60 prob.
120K
  
U.S. v. Everhart
(W.D. Pa.)
March 30, 2000
(sentencing)		 EEA
1
-
Ex-Employee
sales info & strategy
12 prob.
  
  
U.S. v. Tejas
Procurement Svcs.
(N.D. Tex.)
June 15, 2000		 EEA Conspiracy
2
3
Ex-Employee
turbine engine blueprints
54
7.6 mil.
  
U.S. v. Costello
(S.D. Tex.)
June 5, 2000
(sentencing)		 EEA
1
- 
Insider
seismic records; proprietary software
36 prob.
  
  
U.S. v. Lange
(E.D. Wis.)
March 2, 2000
(sentencing)		 EEA Attempt
Copyright
Wire Fraud
1
-
Ex-Employee
engineering drawings
30
2.5K
FBI Sting
U.S. v. Tampoe
(S.D. Tex.)
October 25, 1999
(sentencing)		 EEA
EEA Attempt
1
-
Insider
computer
source code
15
5K
  
U.S. v. Kern
(E.D. Cal.)
April 4, 2000
(sentencing)		 EEA
Comp. Intrusion
1
-
Ex-Employee
radiological machines servicing info
12
  
  
U.S. v. Sindelar
(D. Kan.)
March 1, 1999
(sentencing)		 EEA
1
-
Insider
design specifications; sales forecasts
60 prob.
26K
  
U.S. v. Martin
(D. Me.)
December 7, 1999
(sentencing)		 EEA Conspiracy
Mail Fraud
Wire Fraud
ITSP
2
-
Insider
Outsider
proprietary access
12
7.5K
  
U.S. v. Hallstead
(E.D. Tex.)
December 4, 1998		 EEA
EEA Attempt
ITSP
2
-
Outsider
prototype computer processors
77
10K
FBI Sting
U.S. v. Krumrei
(D. Haw.)
November 18, 1999
(sentencing)		 EEA
1
-
Ex-Employee
laminating process
24
10K
  
U.S. v. Fulton
(W.D. Pa.)
November 13, 1998
(sentencing)		 EEA
1
-
Ex-Employee
mining
machine blueprints
12 home detention
  
  
U.S. v. Campbell
(N.D. Ga.)
August 25, 1998
(sentencing)		 EEA
EEA Attempt
EEA Conspiracy
Mail Fraud
1
-
Insider
proprietary financial information
3
2.8K
  
U.S. v. Trujillo-Cohen
(S.D. Tex.)
July 30, 1998		 EEA Espionage
EEA Attempt
Wire Fraud
1
-
Ex-Employee
SAP
Implement Methodology
48
337K
  
U.S. v. Worthing
(W.D. Pa.)
June 5, 1997
(sentencing)		 EEA Espionage
EEA Conspiracy
2
-
Insider
formulas, diagrams
15
  
  
U.S. v. Davis
(D. Mass.)
January 27, 1998		 EEA
EEA Attempt
1
-
Insider
shaving
process
27
1.2 mil.
  
U.S. v. P.Y. Yang
(D. Ohio)
April 28, 1999		 EEA Conspiracy
EEA Attempt
Wire Fraud
Mail Fraud
2
1
Competitor
adhesive formulas
6 home confinement
5 mil.
FBI Sting
U.S. v. Kai-Lo Hsu
(E.D. Pa.)
July 13, 1999
(sentencing)		 EEA Espionage
EEA Conspiracy
Wire Fraud
2
-
Competitor
formulas,
cell lines
Time Served
10K
FBI Sting
Glossary
For the purposes of the Economic Espionage Act case chart, the following words or phrases are defined.

Violation - This category lists the United States Code provisions of the charging document or offenses which were the basis of conviction.

EEA - The Economic Espionage Act prohibits foreign economic espionage and the theft of trade secrets, 18 U.S.C. §§ 1831-1839.

Comp. Intrusion - The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act protects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of electronically stored data, 18 U.S.C. § 1030.

ITSP - Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property, 18 U.S.C. § 2314.

Copyright - Criminal copyright infringement, 18 U.S.C. §§ 2318-2319.

Mail Fraud - Prohibits use of the mails in furtherance of a scheme to defraud. 18 U.S.C. § 1341.

Wire Fraud - Prohibits the use of interstate wires in furtherance of a scheme to defraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1343.


Defendants - This category lists the number and type of defendants (individual and/or corporate).


Method of Theft - This category indicates the status of the defendant relative to the victim.

Insider - Crime and arrest occurred while defendant was employed by the victim.

Ex-employee - Crime may have occurred in part while the defendant was employed by the victim, but arrest occurred after defendant left victim’s employ.

Competitor - Includes individuals or corporations that are in a competitive relationship with the victim.

Outsider - Typically includes individuals or corporations that steal trade secrets to sell to a third party.

Trade Secret - This category provides a brief description of the stolen trade secret.

Punishment -

Incarceration or probation (months) - refers to number of months of incarceration (prison, home confinement) imposed on the lead defendant, or, if no incarceration was imposed, the number of months of probation.

Fine, Forfeiture, Restitution - the combined amount that the lead defendant must pay in fines, restitution and forfeiture.

Other - This column to note unusual aspects of the case.

Below is a list of press releases from recently prosecuted Economic Espionage cases.

 
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Updated page January 30, 2002
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