Computer Crime Case G: Corporate Misconduct

A large national bank suspected the theft of intellectual property by employees in one of its divisions, and contracted with a forensic consulting firm to investigate. The division president had resigned the preceding Wednesday and the majority of the remaining employees resigned that Friday. The president and the employees all immediately went to work for a competing bank.

After two examiners had worked around the clock, they were able to report that the president had in fact attached a 500 GB external USB hard drive to his computer five days prior to his resignation. Attorneys for the bank immediately filed motions with the court and two days later the president produced the hard drive. This external hard drive contained virtually all the documents for the division, including customer lists and business plans.