TERRELL, Texas — A Terrell business owner and chemical engineer was ordered by a U.S. District Judge to pay approximately $4 million in restitution to his former employer as part of a five-year term of probation in a trade secrets case, the U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas announced on August 19, 2016.
TERRELL, Texas — A Terrell business owner and chemical engineer was ordered by a U.S. District Judge to pay approximately $4 million in restitution to his former employer as part of a five-year term of probation in a trade secrets case, the U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas announced on August 19, 2016.
On June 9, 2014, 53-year-old Dr. Mattias Tezock surrendered to federal authorities following a federal indictment on four counts of unauthorized possession of stolen trade secrets and, in August 2015, Tezock pled guilty to those charges.
Tezock was ordered by Chief U.S. District Judge Barbara M. G. Lynn to pay approximately $4 million in restitution to this former employer as part of the five-year term of probation that resulted from his pleas of guilty in this case.
Tezock admitted to use of trade secrets learned during his employment at New Jersey-based Voltaix – a multinational corporation which manufactures specialty chemicals for use in the solar energy and semiconductor industry – to later open Terrell-based Metaloid Precursors, Inc.
“Tezock further admitted that Voltaix took reasonable measure to keep this information secret and confidential and that Voltaix derived economic value from it not being known to, or readily ascertainable through proper means, by the public,” according to a press release from the office of U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas. “As part of his employment at Voltaix, Tezock agreed to and signed non-compete and employee confidentiality forms that prohibited him from improper disclosures of Voltaix’s confidential, proprietary, and trade secret information.”
Voltaix terminated Tezock’s employment in September 2005 at which point he moved to Texas and established Metaloid Precursors, Inc., in Terrell.
According to the original indictment, Voltaix developed a “secret and confidential recipe that it uses to manufacture high-purity germane,” for which Tezock used to operate Metaloid Precursors, Inc. from September 30, 2005 until at least March 17, 2011, “to manufacture, produce, purify and sell the specialty gas, germane.”
Tezock was found to have actively solicited at least one of Voltaix’s customers in an attempt to steal business from his former employer.
“During subsequent civil litigation brought by Voltaix, Tezock took steps to hide his possession of trade secret information by deleting files or manipulating computer evidence in order to prevent Voltaix from learning the scope and magnitude of his breach,” stated the release. “Tezock also provided false testimony under oath in a deposition during the civil litigation.”
“As part of the plea agreement resolving the criminal charges, Tezock agreed to take steps to terminate his business and destroy the germane processing plant,” stated the release. “Among other things, immediately upon entering the guilty plea, Tezock immediately was required to cease and desist accepting, soliciting, receiving, or entering into new orders, soliciting business, or engaging in any manufacturing or refining work at Metaloid Precursors.”
Tezock further surrendered the keys to the Metaloid Precursors building and later worked to dismantle, destroy, and remove all hardware, chemicals, and equipment used in the manufacturing and synthesis of germane and related gases, according to the release.
Tezock is also not permitted to work in any capacity germane gas or other specialty chemicals or disclosing to any person or entity in any manner any proprietary, confidential, or trade secret information of Voltaix.
The case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Nicholas Bunch and Paul Yanowitch prosecuted.
