Trade Secrets & Confidential Information

7. Offences Under the Act

It is a federal criminal act in the U.S. for anyone to convert a trade secret to his own benefit or the benefit of others intending or knowing that the offence will injure any owner of the trade secret. The prohibited conduct of coverting a trade secret is defined as stealing, or without authorization appropriating, taking, carrying away, or concealing or by fraud, artifice or deception obtaining such information or without authorization copies, duplicates, sketches, draws, photographs, downloads, uploads, alters, destroys, photocopies, replicates, transmits, delivers, sends, mails communicates, or conveys such information. It is also a criminal offence to receive, buy or possess the trade secret information of another, knowing it to have been stolen or appropriated, obtained or converted without authorization. It is also an offence to attempt to convert a trade secret or to conspire with others to convert a trade secret.