Industry: Manufacturing
Region: Guatemala | Chile | LATAM
Situation
A multinational company discovered that a contractor in a key operational role with access to confidential trade secrets, proprietary processes, and sensitive business information was suspected of misappropriating intellectual property to establish competing operations in Guatemala and Chile. The company engaged Sierra Forensic Group to conduct a cross-border forensic investigation, preserve digital evidence, and support potential legal action.
SFG’s Role
Sierra Forensic Group led the cross-border digital forensic investigation, working closely with executive leadership and legal counsel to preserve electronic evidence, identify potential trade secret misappropriation, and support the company’s investigative and legal strategy.
Our Approach
- Developed a cross-border investigative strategy spanning Guatemala and Chile.
- Conducted forensic acquisition and preservation of computers, mobile devices, and other electronic evidence while maintaining strict chain of custody.
- Analyzed emails, messaging applications, documents, file transfers, internet activity, and deleted data for evidence of unauthorized use of proprietary information.
- Worked directly with executives and legal counsel to evaluate findings and develop an investigative and interview strategy.
- Leveraged forensic technology, multilingual capabilities, and international investigative experience to support the cross-border investigation.
Outcome
SFG’s investigation identified substantial evidence supporting the client’s concerns regarding the misappropriation of confidential trade secrets and proprietary information. Based on the investigative findings, the client pursued appropriate legal action to protect its intellectual property and determined that planned international interviews were no longer necessary. The engagement also helped strengthen information security practices and controls over access to sensitive business information.
Services Provided
- Trade Secret Investigations
- Digital Forensics
- Mobile & Computer Forensics
- Cross-Border Investigations
- Evidence Preservation
- Executive Advisory
- Litigation Support