Taiwanese prosecutors on Friday indicted a chief designer and five employees at leading smartphone maker HTC for allegedly leaking crucial trade secrets to China and breach of trust.
Chien Chih-lin, vice president of product design, was charged with leaking information relating to “highly valuable” designs for a yet-to-be-launched smartphone interface to unidentified individuals in Beijing in an attempt to set up a joint new company in China, prosecutors said.
Chien was also charged with breach of trust for allegedly taking kickbacks and falsifying expenses totalling around NT$33.56 million (HK$8.63 million) from suppliers, the Taipei district prosecutors’ office said in a statement.
Prosecutors requested a heavy sentence for Chien on the grounds that he has caused serious damages to HTC and has shown no remorse for his actions, the statement said. Both offences carry a maximum 10-year jail term.
Five of Chien’s colleagues at product design and manufacturing design divisions were also charged for their alleged involvement in the case.
In August, investigators searched HTC’s research and development centre as well as the suspects’ offices and homes after the company accused them of stealing the interface technology and alerted the authorities.