Technic Executive Pleads Guilty to Sabotaging Rohm & Haas TechnologyTest

- 07 August 2007 -
[url="http://www.metalfinishing.com/news/articles/070807_Sabotage.htm"]Technic Executive Pleads Guilty to Sabotaging Rohm & Haas Technology Test
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A Technic, Inc. executive pleaded guilty on Wednesday August 1, to a conspiracy charge for trying to sabotage testing of an electroplating solution that rival Rohm & Haas Co. hoped to sell to Intel Corp.

The U.S. Attorney's office in Brooklyn, N.Y., said Robert A. Schetty III, a Technic vice president, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to destroy trade secrets of a competitor at a hearing before U.S. District Judge Sandra J. Feuerstein in Central Islip, N.Y. As part of his plea agreement, Schetty has agreed to pay restitution of $15,526 to Rohm & Haas, prosecutors said.

“Destruction of commercial trade secrets is a serious offense and can result in significant commercial injury,” said U.S. Attorney Roslynn R. Mauskopf.

Schetty, 42 years old, was employed at Technic’s Advanced Technology Division in Plainview, N.Y. He faces up to 10 years in prison on the charge. The sentencing guidelines range is 10 months to 16 months in prison, according to Ronald G. Russo, Schetty's lawyer.

"It was a stupid mistake in an otherwise blame-free life," Russo said. "He's accepted responsibility in the hope of moving on with his life."

Prosecutors have alleged that between September 2004 and February 2005 Schetty and an unidentified employee at Technic's facility in the Philippines devised and executed a scheme to sabotage the qualification testing of a lead-free electroplating solution from Rohm & Haas Co., a competitor. The solution was undergoing qualification testing by Amkor Technology, Inc., an Intel subcontractor, at a facility in the Philippines, according to court documents.

Source: Associated Press