Where a workplace dispute turns criminal
Most disputes over technology begin as civil claims about trade secrets, confidentiality agreements, or ownership of code and designs. Some move into criminal territory, usually when investigators believe information was taken knowingly to benefit a competitor or a foreign buyer, and federal law, including the Economic Espionage Act, can apply in those cases. Unauthorized access to computer systems can raise separate federal and state charges. The line often turns on what the information actually was, whether it was treated as confidential, and what the person intended to do with it. Copying files you used every day is not automatically theft, but the context in which it happened is usually examined closely.
Handling devices, accounts, and files
Do not delete, wipe, or reorganize anything once a dispute or investigation is in view, because that can create a separate problem that is harder to defend than the original one. If you still have company files or devices, ask a lawyer before returning, copying, or opening them, since how they are handed back can matter. Keep your own employment agreement, offer letter, any confidentiality or invention assignment documents, and your own messages about the departure. If agents contact you or arrive with a warrant, you can decline to answer questions and ask to speak with counsel. Lying knowingly to federal agents is a separate crime, which is one more reason to wait for advice instead of offering an explanation on the spot.
Sorting out who is involved
We start by identifying who is pursuing the matter: a former employer, a civil court, a federal prosecutor, or some combination. Civil and criminal tracks can run at the same time, and what you say or produce in one can be used in the other. We look at what was taken or accessed, which agreements cover it, and whether there are records showing permission or ordinary business use. If you are not a U.S. citizen or work under a visa, we raise that early because it can affect how an investigation unfolds. From there we decide whether to respond to the employer, prepare for contact with investigators, or both.
