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April 28, 1999Go to . . . CCIPS Home Page || Justice Department Home Page
FOUR PILLARS, P.Y. YANG AND SALLY YANG CONVICTED OF VIOLATING THE ECONOMIC ESPIONAGE ACT OF 1996 (APRIL 28, 1999) FBI Director Louis J. Freeh announced that a guilty verdict was reached today against a Taiwanese businessman, his daughter, and his company in connection with the Theft of Trade Secrets from Avery Dennison, an Ohio manufacturing facility of Avery Dennison Corporation of Pasadena, California.
FBI Director Freeh stated, " This case marks one of the first convictions of foreign individuals under the Economic Espionage Act of 1996 which has gone to trial. It is also the first case in which a foreign company was charged and found guilty of an Economic Espionage violation."
A Federal Jury today convicted P.Y. Yang, Chairman of Four Pillars Enterprise Co,, Ltd, YANG Hwei-chan, a.k.a. Sally Yang, a company executive, and their company of two counts of violation of Title 18, USC, Section 1832, (a)(4), Attempted Theft of Trade Secrets and Title 18, USC 1832 (a)(5), Conspiracy.
Director Freeh pointed out that Avery Dennison Corporation provided extensive assistance to the FBI since the inception of this investigation. It was Avery Dennison who, through its own internal investigation first uncovered, and then turned over to the FBI, evidence of economic espionage.
Freeh said, "This investigation and conviction clearly demonstrate the importance and value of law enforcement and industry working in partnership under the Economic Espionage Act to combat the theft of American trade secrets and jobs by foreign business interests. It is essential that this partnership continue to adequately combat a crime which has such an impact on the economic well-being of this nation. "
Each violation of the Economic Espionage Act carries a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $500,000. The company is subject to fines of not more than $5 million.
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