Jury Selected in Avery Trade Secrets Case

A jury has been selected at the trial of two Taiwanese executives accused of stealing trade secrets from adhesive maker Avery Dennison Corp. Pin Yen Yang, 72, president of rival Four Pillars Co. of Taiwan, and his 40-year-old daughter, Hwei Chen “Sally” Yang, are on trial in U.S. District Court in Youngstown, Ohio. The Yangs are accused of taking secrets, which could be used in making labels and tape, from Pasadena-based Avery by paying off one of the company’s researchers in Ohio. Prosecutors say the Yangs paid about $150,000 to the researcher from 1989 to 1997. The Yangs are each charged with economic espionage, conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, money laundering and receipt of stolen goods. They have pleaded innocent. Four Pillars says its executives have done nothing criminal.