Man convicted of selling Dow secrets to China

BATON ROUGE, La. – A former research scientist has been convicted of charges he stole trade secrets from Dow Chemical Company and sold them to companies in China.

A federal jury in Baton Rouge on Monday convicted 74-year-old Wen Chyu Liu, also known as David Liou, of conspiracy to commit trade secret theft and perjury.

Liu worked at Dow's Plaquemine facility before he retired in 1992. Prosecutors said he conspired with other employees to sell confidential information about the company's production of a polymer called chlorinated polyethylene, which is used in automotive hoses, vinyl siding and other products.

The Houston resident faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. His attorney said Liu was stunned by the verdict and had no knowledge of stolen trade secrets.