Ex-chief designer of HTC accused of betrayal of secrets & Embezzlement - Mobilegeeks

The prosecutor of Taipei has indicted the former chief designer of HTC. Thomas Chien, after initial investigations now officially accused of stealing trade secrets from HTC and to have his former employer deceived by false statements about a large sum of money.

Besides Chien five other former employees were indicted by HTC the Taiwanese authorities. In addition, charges have been laid against three suppliers from HTC, because the companies are said to have helped the former design chief, to create fake expense claims in the amount of 33 million Taiwan dollars, or the equivalent of almost 800,000 euros. Since the end of August Chien sits already in custody.

the betrayed by him trade secrets is icon designs for future smartphones, so probably elements of HTC Sense 6.0. This should he have shown in a meeting with another company from China as part of a presentation, when he was no longer working for HTC. The talks focused on business cooperation and the establishment of a new business.

Besides Chien was indicted because he is said to have submitted along with the designer the counterfeit bills as the current research and development chief of HTC Wu Chien-hung. The two should also have abused the trust of HTC because they formed their own company and other employees should have courted so that they would work in the future for their new company.

The prosecution now seeks the maximum penalty for Chien, because it showed no remorse and should with questionable arguments are still trying to justify his illegal activities. Two other parties, the prosecutor recommends, however lenient sentences because they had confessed and have now reached an agreement with HTC. HTC have now “forgiven” them, so it will probably be “only” suspended sentences for them. The three employees of subcontractors should receive lenient sentences.

Due to a change in case law Chien, now threatens up to five years in prison and 10 million Taiwan dollars in fines for revealing trade secrets. The penalty could even be extended to 10 years in prison and 50 million Taiwan dollars because the company’s internal information were betrayed to a foreign company (in this case from China). Because Chien has abused the trust of HTC, he faces a further extension of the sentence, because on this offense are imprisonment of three to 10 years

Savoury is on the whole number and that around a quarter of the misappropriated funds were found in the form of cash in a vehicle from Chien. Even before that was another quarter of the sum of it was bechlagnahmt.