Man Gets 15-Year Sentence for Stealing DuPont Secrets, Aiding China Company

Walter Liew, a California businessman who is the first person in the U.S. convicted by a jury of economic espionage, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for stealing DuPont Co. trade secrets to help a Chinese company build a manufacturing plant (U.S. v. Liewsentencing).

Judge Jeffrey White of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California issued the sentence July 10 after prosecutors sought a prison term of at least 17 years. He said Liew’s conduct was “a virtual white-collar crime spree” and “a loud message has to go out” to those who would sell ...