AMD engineer charged with stealing Intel trade secrets

Charges brought by FBI

15 September 2008 17:55 GMT / By Katie Scott

A former Intel designer has been charged by the FBI in the US of stealing trade secrets.

Massachusetts-based Biswahoman Pani, who left Intel to work for rival AMD, has been accused by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation of copying confidential Intel computer-aided design (CAD) drawings and documentation.

The charges have only just been made public though Pani was accused by the FBI of wrongdoing last month.

According to the FBI, Pani has already admitted using his Intel laptop to access the files on the chipmaker’s network.

He claims that he did this just out of curiosity but the FBI found 19 CAD designs and more than 100 other Intel documents when they raided his home, somewhat blowing his argument out of the water.

Pani joined AMD on 2 June, but has now been sacked.

AMD says it is co-operating with the FBI.

"AMD is cooperating fully in the FBI investigation into this matter. AMD has not been accused of wrongdoing, and the FBI has stated that there is no evidence that AMD had any involvement in or awareness of Mr Pani's alleged actions", the company said in a prepared statement.

"I can also confirm that Mr Pani is no longer employed at AMD", AMD spokesman Michael Silverman added.