Former Intel EDA Tools Software Engineer Jinfeng Luo is facing a $250,000 lawsuit from Intel after he stole nearly 18,000 files, including data labeled as “Intel Top Secret”.
Luo, at Intel since 2014, had been told on July 7 his job at the company would be terminated, effective July 31.
On July 23, Luo hooked up an external hard drive to his Intel laptop, but when he tried to download a file, the company’s internal controls blocked the transfer.
On July 28, Luo tried again with a NAS device, and over the next three days, he downloaded nearly 18,000 files, including some labeled “Intel Top Secret”.
Intel detected Luo’s data transfers and launched an investigation soon afterwards.
For almost three months, the company tried to reach Luo — a rundown of Intel’s efforts to contact him takes up two pages of the 14-page lawsuit — but he never responded to the phone calls, emails and letters.
“Luo has refused to even engage with Intel, let alone return the files.”
Intel, accusing Luo of breaking federal and state trade-secrets laws, is seeking at least $250,000 in compensation from him. The company also wants a court order forcing Luo to hand over his personal electronic devices for inspection, and requiring him to give the company its allegedly misappropriated confidential information.
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