Kraft Heinz Sues Golden State Foods for Trade Secrets Violations
Kraft Heinz Food Company filed a complaint against Zachary Klein and Golden State Foods Corporation alleging that Golden State is actively encouraging Klein to use the confidential and proprietary trade secret information he stole from Kraft Heinz’ Foodservice division.
According to the complaint, Klein attended a leadership meeting where the Kraft’s confidential plans and strategies were discussed the day before he handed in his resignation. The complaint claims that Kraft Heinz has discovered evidence in Klein’s emails that he emailed trade secrets to his personal account before he left the company.
Insufficient Evidence: Fifth Circuit Affirms Denial of Preliminary Injunction for Trade Secret Misappropriation
Fifth Circuit affirmed denial of a preliminary injunction for the lack of evidence showing such use. In this case, CAE sued Meissner, a former employee, and MOOV, his subsequent employer, for trade secret misappropriation in the Western District of Texas under the Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA) and the Texas Uniform Trade Secrets Act (TUTSA). CAE also moved for a preliminary injunction, which was denied. CAE appealed that denial in the Fifth Circuit.
While with CAE, Meissner used his personal MacBook, which was synced with Google Drive. When CAE later issued Meissner a company laptop, Meissner let CAE take a snapshot of his personal MacBook and wipe its hard drive. Meissner later gave the MacBook to CAE for repair; CAE never returned it. After being terminated by CAE, Meissner discovered CAE had only moved his work files to the trash bin rather than permanently deleting them, and restored them to his Google Drive.
WFYI Lost $270,000 in Embezzlement Scheme. Ex-employee Now Facing Charges
Madison had access to WFYI’s accounting software and presented at least 156 fake claims and invoices for payment, according to the release. She and a co-conspirator are accused of falsifying invoices using versions of the co-conspirator’s name and businesses connected to her. WFYI checks were tendered to the co-conspirator, who then deposited the checks into her account and withdrew cash investigators say was split with Madison.
Santa Fe Woman Accused of Embezzling Nearly $600K
The complaint says Barna worked for Clemens and Associates between October 2020 and January 2022 as an office manager who oversaw the business’s payroll. Catherine Clemens, the company’s owner, told Santa Fe police she learned of the alleged crime after another worker noticed a $9,000 charge in the company’s bank records that couldn’t be explained.
Clemens said she consulted with the bank and believes Barna made 430 unauthorized transfers from the company’s account to her personal account totaling more than $490,000 and also made 1,419 personal purchases on the company’s Amazon account totaling over $77,000, according to the complaint.
CT Woman Admits Embezzling $1.5 Million
As part of her job responsibilities, she had access to her employer’s bank accounts and was allowed to initiate financial transactions, including wiring company funds to other bank accounts.
From January 2019 and continuing until her fraud was detected by the company in February 2021, Guerreno stole $1,532,207.24 by altering company financial transactions and directing electronic payments from her employer’s bank account to her credit card accounts, her personal bank accounts, and to pay her home equity line of credit.
Indictment details charges against migrant shelter CEO
A federal grand jury Aug. 30 handed down an indictment charging Gallegos on embezzlement and theft charges.
Among the charges and according to a portion of the indictment, Gallegos was paid salaries way over the $183,000 cap limit with his 2017 salary at $435,416.88. The indictment also states others were also paid high salaries, one at $506,0032.22 and another at $377,060.96 — also in violation of the salary caps — but their names are redacted in the document.
