Cisco has named rival Poly in its lawsuit against three former employees for alleged misappropriation of trade secrets. The company said it previously believed the employees had acted individually, but it now suspects Poly, which hired the three individuals, may have played a role in trying to acquire the Cisco business information.
In a statement, Cisco said its former employee and the current Poly executive VP Thomas Puorro "was instrumental in orchestrating an effort to bring Cisco trade secrets and other confidential information to Poly". The company suggested it also has information on other Poly employees who may have received or induced others to access Cisco information, and top executives at Poly may have tried to cover up the receipt of confidential information.
The company said it tried to address the issue directly with Poly in order to avoid the lawsuit, but the company did not cooperate. "This litigation is not about Poly products," said Mark Chandler, Cisco's chief legal offiicer. "It’s about Poly’s refusal to address a serious cultural issue, characterized by repeated efforts to receive and use Cisco trade secrets and confidential information in their business."
