McHenry Co. Businessman Accused Of Stealing Employer's Trade Secrets

A 30-year employee of a McHenry County manufacturing firm is accused of stealing proprietary information from the company while planning to move to China to begin work for a rival firm, according to a 13-count indictment filed in federal court in Chicago on Wednesday. Robert O' Rourke, 57, is charged with theft of trade secrets. O'Rourke, of Lake Geneva, Wis., allegedly downloaded electronic data belonging to his employer, a Woodstock-based manufacturer of cast-iron products, on Sept. 13, 2015.

At the time, O’Rourke had already accepted a new job with a rival firm in Jiangsu, China, according to the indictment. Two days later, he officially resigned from the Woodstock company, the indictment states.

The following week O’Rourke packed up the proprietary information and went to O’Hare International Airport in Chicago to board a flight to China, according to the indictment. Federal authorities intervened and seized the stolen electronic data, along with stolen paper documents, before O’Rourke traveled to China to begin work for the new firm, prosecutors said.

O’Rourke worked for the Woodstock company since 1984, holding the positions of plant metallurgist, quality assurance manager and salesperson, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois He also helped the company develop international business in, among other places, China, the indictment states.

In December 2013, O’Rourke allegedly began discussions with a Chinese firm to take a similar job there. After several months of discussions and negotiations, O’Rourke accepted the position of vice president at the Chinese company, the indictment states.

O’Rourke initially advised the Woodstock company on Aug. 12, 2015, that he intended to resign, according to the indictment. At that time, O’Rourke did not mention that he was negotiating employment with the Chinese firm, and he continued to work for the Woodstock company for another month, the indictment states.

During that month he purchased his plane ticket to China and stole the proprietary trade secrets, the charges state.

The indictment does not identify the name of the Woodstock company or the Chinese firm.

O'Rourke is expected to appear in the U.S. District Court in Chicago for an arraignment on July 25.