Intellectual property theft involves robbing people or companies of their ideas, inventions, and creative expressions—known as intellectual property. This can include everything from trade secrets to proprietary products to movies, music, and software.
The FBI investigates intellectual property theft in two different ways. Traditionally, the FBI looked at IP theft/theft of trade secrets (industrial espionage) as a white-collar violation under our Criminal Investigations Division. Our new approach to IP theft is an enhanced relationship between the FBI’s Criminal and Counterintelligence Divisions when working theft of trade secret cases. A trade secrets case (economic espionage) when worked under the counterintelligence program-occurs when the involvement of state-sponsored actors is suspected. Our goal is to contain and/or even prevent the theft as quickly as possible, no matter who’s behind it.
In 2022, intellectual property theft cost U.S. businesses 1.12 billion dollars.
The FBI’s intellectual property investigations focus on the theft of trade secrets and copyright infringement on products that can impact people’s health and safety, like counterfeit parts for cars and electronics. The FBI works with partners in the private sector and other law enforcement agencies at all levels to investigate these cases.
Economic espionage costs the American economy hundreds of billions of dollars per year and puts our national security at risk. Historically, economic espionage has targeted defense-related and high-tech industries. But recent FBI cases have shown that no industry, large or small, is immune to the threat. Any company with a proprietary product, process, or idea can be a target. Any unprotected trade secret can be illegally stolen.
FBI Director Christopher Wray has designated espionage as the FBI’s number two priority-second only to terrorism.
The FBI has dedicated agents and analysts located at the Department of Homeland Security’s National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center. The IPR Center strives to share critical information and raise awareness to the dangers of IP theft, fraud, cyber intrusions, and trade violations by coordinating with 25 key federal and international government agencies, as well as private sector partners to combat IP theft around the world.
If you believe your company is a victim of these crimes, contact the FBI at 800-CALL-FBI, the FBI El Paso Field Office at (915) 832-5000 or the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center at www.ice.gov/iprcenter.
Investigators cannot act if they are not aware of the problem. The FBI will minimize the disruption to your business and safeguard your privacy and your data during its investigation. Where necessary, the FBI will seek protective orders to preserve trade secrets and business confidentiality.
If your company has invested time and resources developing a product or idea –
Protect It!
Jeffrey R. Downey
Special Agent in Charge, FBI El Paso
With El Paso so close to the Mexican border and Mexico in the throws of revolutionary struggle during the early 1900s, southwest Texas became a key focus of the Bureau soon after its founding in 1908. As the FBI heads into its second century, the El Paso Division remains committed to protecting the people and defending the nation while upholding the rule of law and the civil liberties of all.