Patent Examiner Agrees to Pay $500,000 Over Alleged Conflicts

US Patent and Trademark Office employee Daxin Wu agreed to pay $500,000 to resolve allegations she violated conflict-of-interest rules by working on patent applications from companies in which she had financial interests, the Justice Department said Wednesday.

Between January 2019 and May 2022, Wu, a patent examiner, allegedly worked on at least nine patent applications submitted by two companies in which she held stock worth more than $300,000 and $140,000, respectively, according to a Justice Department press release. She also reviewed applications from competitors of a company in which she owned more than $900,000 in stock. The settlement resolves ...