Eighth Circuit affirms verdict that sales rep willfully misappropriated trade secrets before quitting
Key points
- The Eighth Circuit on November 9, 2026 affirmed a jury verdict on trade secret misappropriation
- The former sales rep copied hundreds of files to a personal hard drive the day before resigning
- The report says he now owes $198K
The Eighth Circuit on November 9, 2026 affirmed a jury verdict that a former Wilbur-Ellis seed sales rep willfully and maliciously misappropriated trade secrets. The court said he copied his Outlook file and hundreds of other files to a personal hard drive the day before resigning in August 2021, then used the information at competitor Simplot. The report says he now owes $198K. For reference only; this is not legal advice.
What employers should do
- Review, before employees resign, whether any company files were copied to personal devices or accounts
- Have core employees sign confidentiality and trade secret agreements that include data return requirements
Policy details
- Jurisdiction
- Federal (U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit)
- Status
- Court ruling
- Effective date
- —
- Official source
- View official source ↗
Original report: now owes $198K ↗AI-assisted brief; may contain inaccuracies. Rely on the original reports and official documents. For information only; not legal, immigration or insurance advice.