Pine Instrument Co. has filed a civil racketeering and conspiracy suit alleging an ex-employee, Gordon Baker, downloaded company information, including customer lists, software instructions and internal drawings, and gave the information to his new employer, a competing firm.
Gordon Baker, said he downloaded the information while still employed by Pine to work on projects related to his job with Pine, and never gave any Pine information to his new employer, Controls USA Inc., of Georgia.
During the fall of 2013, Baker said, his workload was “extremely heavy and demanding,” and included website development and tasks related to pricing. He said he worked on the projects at home on evenings and weekends.
Because he did not have access to Pine’s e-mail system from home, Baker would send information to his personal e-mail account so he could access it from home, he said.
“Baker obtained confidential information for most, if not all, of Pine’s customers and vendors and, as a result, can use such information to Pine’s detriment,” Pine said.
In its nine-count complaint alleging violations of state and federal law, Pine asks for, among other things, the return of all Pine information held by Baker, a prohibition against Baker working for or having an interest in a competitor of Pine for two years, and damages three times the loss suffered by Pine.
