Feds charge Utah scientist with theft of trade secrets

PAUL FOY
Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Federal prosecutors have charged a scientist with stealing trade secrets from a Utah company where he worked.

An FBI spokeswoman says it's the first time authorities have filed industrial espionage charges in Utah.

The federal complaint says the 42-year-old scientist for Frontier Scientific Inc. of North Logan emailed drug recipes to a brother-in-law in India who was setting up a competing company.

Prabhu Mohapatra was charged late Monday with a single count of theft of trade secrets. He faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted.

Mohapatra didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment. A Frontier Scientific lawyer also didn't return a phone message on Tuesday.

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