Retired chemist accused of spying commits suicide

[bananas]

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A former PPG chemist who was accused of offering trade secrets to a Chinese company has killed himself.

A spokesman for the Allegheny County medical examiner said Thomas Rukavina, 62, of Plum, died of asphyxiation by hanging on June 5. He was pronounced dead at his home at 7:08 p.m. that day. The death has been ruled a suicide.

On May 26, Mr. Rukavina was released on $100,000 bond after withdrawing an earlier request to the U.S. District Court for a competency evaluation. His lawyer had said at the time Mr. Rukavina was suffering from anxiety, insomnia and depression.

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation has alleged that Mr. Rukavina, who retired from PPG in 2012, stole trade secrets for plastic windows used on planes and trains and shared some of those secrets with a Chinese glass company.

Mr. Rukavina was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 21 on a single count of theft of trade secrets.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/local/2015/06/07/Retired-chemist-accused-of-spying-commits-suicide/stories/201506070220

[bananas]

1. "the industry's first new transparent plastic in more than 50 years."

From a month ago:

http://www.wtae.com/news/feds-ex-ppg-employee-stole-trade-secrets-for-chinese-firm/32888492

Feds: Ex-PPG employee stole trade secrets for Chinese firm
Charges say Thomas Rukavina provided 'recipe' for military aircraft windows, offered to sell information worth millions of dollars, according to federal complaint in Pittsburgh
UPDATED 9:19 PM EDT May 08, 2015

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Thomas Rukavina, 62, is accused of providing the "recipe" to make windows for a military aircraft, involving "the industry's first new transparent plastic in more than 50 years."

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The FBI obtained warrants to search Rukavina's emails. In one message to the Chinese company quoted in the criminal complaint, he complained about being forced out of PPG.

"If PPG owns my brain for life, then they should pay me 2 million a year to keep it!! I think I make my point!!" Rukavina wrote to the Chinese company, according to the criminal complaint.

In another email, documents say he wrote "My salary at PPG when I left was $170,000... If possible, I would like a signing bonus of $80,000, as you will have access to all of PPG technology since 1947!!"

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[BumRushDaShow]

2. Sad... although this story reminded me of

this -