Renault Spy Scandal: Charges Filed Against Unnamed Foreign Firm
The last time we checked in on the Renault EV Spy Scandal, the French automaker appeared to be backpedaling the seriousness of the affair, claiming all technical secrets were safe. But be that as it may, the WSJ reports that the firm has still filed a criminal “complaint against persons unknown” in the case
for acts constituting organized industrial espionage, corruption, breach of trust, theft and concealment.
The complaint comes after Renault met with its three suspended managers, who tell the press they are accused of “serious wrongdoing” but insist that they are innocent. A lawyer for at least one of the accused Renault employees says she is not even aware of what exactly Renault is accusing her client of. Reuters adds that “a private company in a foreign country” is named in the complaint, which now goes to the State Prosecutor of Paris, who will determine whether or not to investigate the complaint. In an effort to backpedal Renault’s apparent suspicion of a Chinese-based conspiracy, the Prosecutor’s office demurred
We never within the government mentioned such a possibility… It’s Renault’s position. They don’t cite a foreign power, they only cite private persons.
China has already denied any involvement in the affair, and Renault’s Chief Operating Officer alleges that the case involves
an organized international network and that technology leaked involved the architecture and economic model of electric vehicles.
More by Edward Niedermeyer
Comments
Join the conversation
Maybe they should check with Fiat as it looks like that EV is standing in the Piazza del Duomo in Milan.
This is not the first time. China link as spies hack into US fighter jet program http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=13837&icid=4&d_str=20090422 Chinese Ford employee pleads guilty to stealing $50M in trade secrets "The engineer copied over 4,000 Ford documents onto an external hard drive before letting the company know of his new employer. Those documents included proprietary information on everything from engine and transmission mounting designs to electrical systems and full body shells. Yu began working for Beijing Automotive Company in 2008." http://detroit.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel10/de111710.htm
This is not the first time. China link as spies hack into US fighter jet program thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=13837&icid=4&d_str=20090422 Chinese Ford employee pleads guilty to stealing $50M in trade secrets "The engineer copied over 4,000 Ford documents onto an external hard drive before letting the company know of his new employer. Those documents included proprietary information on everything from engine and transmission mounting designs to electrical systems and full body shells. Yu began working for Beijing Automotive Company in 2008." detroit.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel10/de111710.htm
Anybody remember Ignacio Lopez? Stole a scheisse-load of proprietary info from GM and absconded to VW. Boxes and boxes of GM documents found by german authorities in an apartment rented by some of Lopez's lieutennants come from GM with him. All prosecuted, lose jobs. VW (here Ferdel Piech) guilty. Negotiations at the state departments level. VW paying fines and committing to buy billions of components from GM/Delphi.