A former Wacker employee was sentenced to two years in prison and fined $7500 (£4600) after admitting selling trade secrets to South Korean firm KCC Silicones.

62-year old Michael Agodoa pleaded guilty to providing KCC with formulae for several of Wacker’s silicone and rubber-based products, which he acquired before he left the company in 1997. He provided the information to KCC while negotiating for a job offer, then used the formulae to improve KCC’s products during his employment there.