DuPont issued the following statement March 18 from senior vice president and general counsel Thomas L. Sager after former employee Michael Mitchell was sentenced to 18 months in U.S. federal prison and restitution to DuPont for fees and costs spent on the case following pleading guilty in U.S. Federal Court in Richmond, Va., to Theft of Trade Secrets and Obstruction of Justice.
“In 2007, we became concerned about the activities of Michael Mitchell, who left DuPont in early 2006 and was working on behalf of Kolon Industries, a Korea-based competitor to our DuPont Kevlar branded products. We notified the FBI and the Department of Commerce of our concern and have cooperated with them and the Department of Justice in their ensuing federal investigation. In February 2009, we filed a civil lawsuit against Kolon Industries for Theft of Trade Secrets. We appreciate the diligence of the FBI, the Department of Commerce, and the Department of Justice in prosecuting this matter.
“Today's sentencing of Michael Mitchell, following his guilty plea in December, confirms that DuPont proprietary information had been stolen and provided to Kolon. The FBI investigation has revealed that, in August 2008, three Kolon managers flew to Richmond, the location of our global Kevlar technology and business headquarters, expressly for the purpose of obtaining confidential DuPont process technology. Kolon should now fully cooperate with the federal authorities and with DuPont to ensure the complete return of all DuPont proprietary information.
“As a market-driven science company, DuPont has policies and processes that are designed to protect our technologies and we will aggressively pursue anyone who tries to steal our intellectual property. Kevlar technology and products are not only important to DuPont but also to our customers and especially to those whose lives they protect. Those customers expect us to invest in innovation and to conduct business with the highest ethical standards, and we will continue to fulfill those expectations.”
DuPont is a science-based products and services company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture and food; building and construction; communications; and transportation.
