Two Charged With Stealing Tyre Secrets From Goodyear

The indictment states that Wyko entered into an agreement in 2007 to supply OTR tyre manufacturing equipment to China’s Haohau South China Guilin Rubber Company Limited. It adds that Roberts and Howley visited Goodyear’s OTR tyre facility in Topeka, Kansas under false pretences, and covertly used their mobile phones to take photographs of proprietary equipment used in the manufacturing process. These photos were allegedly e-mailed to UK subsidiary Wyko Tire Technology, based in the West Midlands town of Dudley. The photos were then said to be used to complete a similar piece of machinery for the Haohau South China Guilin contract. The indictment charges include one count of conspiracy to commit theft of trade secrets, seven counts of theft of trade secrets, three counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. If convicted of all charges, the defendants each face a maximum of 150 years in prison and US$2.75 million in fines.