One current and five former Fitbit employees impeach of knowingly stealing trade mystery from former employer Jawbone , whichceased operationin 2017,have been indict . The two companies have hold out to court in the pastover similar allegations . If convicted , the defendants could face up to 10 years in prison .
According toa statementfrom the U.S. Department of Justice obtained by Ars Technica , the six former Jawbone employees who transmigrate to Fitbit allegedly violated confidentiality agreements with Jawbone , and knowingly possessed trade secrets from the troupe . Four of the six defendants worked for Jawbone between May 2011 and April 2015 , and receive employment offers from Fitbit between March and April 2015 . One defendant step down from Jawbone in March 2014 , and start working for Fitbit by and by that year .
The indictment say that the six defendants were aware that they were walking off with swop secret they were n’t supposed to have . “ [ Homeland Security Investigations ] has devoted more than two eld to enquire these allegation of the larceny of craft secrets , ” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Ryan L. Spradlin in the DoJ argument . “ HSI considers these types of charges highly serious , and is consecrate to safeguard against any illegal corporate practices adversely impacting other clientele . ” The defendants are scheduled to appear in motor lodge July 9 .
Photo: Alex Cranz (Gizmodo)
Jawbone and Fitbit ’s contentious relationship , rivalingthe conflictbetween Samsung and Apple , hasembroiled the company in lawsuitswith one another for years , with the former accusing Fitbit of repeatedly poaching employees and obtaining secret information in the process , and the latter incriminate Jawbone of letters patent misdemeanour . Fitbit previouslydismissed theft of trade wind secret allegationsmade by Jawbone in an earlier causa as “ fictional . ” If this calendar week ’s indictment can be image as a victory for Jawbone , its a relatively hollow one . Last year , Jawbone went out of business , and waste its asset , so it ’s not as if Fitbit losing means a vainglorious winnings for the now - defunct ship’s company .
[ Ars Technica ]
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