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Court Verdict: Neobike Founders
Guilty in IPR Case Brought by Dahon.
All five defendants sentenced to five
months in jail.
TAIWAN, Taiwan — April 10, 2002—
In a significant intellectual property criminal case brought
by Dahon against five Neobike founders, a Taiwan superior court
judge today handed down a guilty verdict. All five defendants
in the criminal case were sentenced to five months in jail.
The verdict, delivered by Taiwan's highest court, is final,
and opens the door for Dahon to pursue damages in a civil suit.
Neobike, based in Taiwan, manufactures folding bicycles and
was founded by several Dahon employees that left together to
form Neobike. Dahon filed its suit against the Neobike founders
ten years ago and the suit has been slowly winding its way through
the Taiwan legal system ever since.
"We feel a sense of gratification that after ten years
of foot-dragging by the Taiwan legal system, some measure of
justice has been served," stated Dr. David Hon, Dahon president.
"Technology is the lifeblood of our bicycle industry: Without
technology and innovation, we would all be selling commodity
products with little or no profit. We have over forty engineers
and technicians in our R&D department and this court verdict
gives us the faith to continue investing in this part of our
business."
Three of the five guilty defendants are former Dahon employees.
The fourth was the major financial backer of Neobike. The guilty
include Mr. J.C. Hsiao, Neobike general manager, as well as
the former head of R&D and former head of production at
Neobike. Dahon had accused the Neobike founders of taking Dahon's
latest technology when they left Dahon to form Neobike. This
technology served as the basis for the first Neobike folding
bicycle. Neobike proceeded to build a business based on bicycles
incorporating the technology and still uses the technology in
many of the bicycles currently in its program.
In accordance with Taiwan law, Dahon may now pursue damages
in a civil case. Dahon is examining its options and can be expected
to move to recover damages.
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