Trade secret defendant seeks dismissal

ERJ staff report (R&PN)

Akron, Ohio - A former Bridgestone scientist accused of stealing trade secrets from the company asked an Akron district court judge to dismiss one charge and exclude testimony on other charges in his pending trial.

Government attorneys, however, argue that Xiaorong Wang's motions before Judge James S. Gwin have no merit.

Wang, a former senior scientist and project leader at Bridgestone Americas Center for Research and Technology in Akron, was indicted in April 2012 on charges of stealing trade secrets and making false statements to federal agents.

In April 2010, according to the indictment, the company fired Wang for sending abusive emails to a company colleague in Japan. That same day, Wang downloaded confidential and proprietary research information onto compact discs, according to the charges.

Among the items Wang allegedly copied were files on the development for new polymers for racing tyres; on the strategy and direction of research for mono/bi-functional polymers; on planned process changes to butadiene rubber production in Japan; on raw material codes for production of micelle polymers; on specifications for liquid paper powders; and on the commercialization of guayule rubber.

During interviews with Federal Bureau of Investigation agents Wang allegedly lied about his activities. According to court documents, Wang tried to reach a plea agreement in July with the federal district attorney's office, but the court rejected the deal Aug. 1.

Shortly thereafter, Wang filed several motions to have charges dropped and testimony excluded. These included excluding any evidence at trial of Wang's previous associations with foreign entities; his effort to seek a plea agreement; evidence based on his interview with the FBI, on the grounds he hadn't been read his Miranda rights.

In its responses, the government argued Wang's motions are without merit. Wang's trial is set to begin Sept. 24.

From Rubber & Plastics News (A Crain publication)