Trade secret caper
Star-Bulletin staff
foiled in HawaiiAn international theft of industrial secrets came unraveled in 1997 in Honolulu.
A Michigan attorney stole secrets to a new press plate coating process that would result in a mar-proof laminate with a glass-like surface developed by Wilsonart International Inc. of Temple, Texas.
He tried to sell the secrets to Wilsonart's competitor in Australia, CSR Ltd.
The only problem is that CSR realized it was wrong and worked with Wilsonart to set up a January 1997 meeting with the attorney in Honolulu -- a meeting with an undercover operative.
The attorney, David T. Krumrei, was arrested, later indicted and pleaded guilty to the attempted sale of a stolen trade secret related to a product in interstate commerce.
Krumrei, 49, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Michigan to two years in prison, two years supervised release, $10,000 restitution and $100 special assessment.
A federal grand jury in Honolulu indicted Krumrei -- the eighth such industrial technology theft case prosecuted in the United States. Assistant U.S. Attorney Les Osborne from Honolulu prosecuted the case.
Krumrei admitted he got the Wilsonart process while associated with a company that Wilsonart sought to assist in the new coating technology for laminates, better known as "Formica."
