A California businessman accused of conspiring to steal corporate secrets from DuPont and sell them to China, now faces new charges of filing false tax returns.
Federal prosecutors added the new charges against Walter Liew earlier this week in the existing case accusing Liew and two former DuPont employees of plotting to steal the formula for a white pigment used in paint and plastics, known as chloride-route titanium oxide.
China’s Pangang Group Co., one of China’s largest titanium pigment producers, was named in the indictment as well. Pangang is a state-owned company in Sichuan Province.
He was originally charged with witness tampering and conspiracy.
The current indictment, includes charges of conspiracy to commit economic espionage, theft of trade secrets, conveying trade secrets, filing false tax returns and lying in bankruptcy proceedings.
Liew has been in federal custody for nearly two years. Earlier this month, U.S. Magistrate Judge Nathanael Cousins agreed to release him on $2 million cash bond. The decision came over the opposition of federal prosecutors.
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White scheduled a hearing March 18 to hear the government’s challenge to the order granting bail.
Case: U.S. v. Liew, 11-CR-573JW
TrialInsider.com 