Former DuPont employee charged with trade secrets theft

A former employee of chemical company DuPont has been charged with stealing trade secrets related to DuPont’s ethanol fuel enzyme business.

DuPont, which is now known as DowDuPont after its merger with Dow Chemical Company, is the world’s largest chemical company.

According to the Department of Justice, while employed by DuPont and after accepting an offer of employment with a competitor, John Isler stole trade secrets.

He allegedly transferred hundreds of DuPont’s electronic files to an external storage device and gave some of these files to his new employer.

The files contained DuPont’s trade secrets and proprietary information related to DuPont’s customers, who were also customers of the competitor or whose business was being sought by the rival.

When Isler was interviewed by the FBI in November 2013, he allegedly denied that he had downloaded the files. Isler has also been charged with one count of making a false statement to the FBI.

If convicted of both charges, Isler faces a maximum combined sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to $500,000, and eight years of supervised release after any imprisonment.  He may also be ordered to pay restitution.

Isler’s initial appearance has been scheduled for today, July 5. He is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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