Well, lookee here. From AI, FWIW...
Corporate espionage is primarily a serious criminal offense in the U.S. under the Economic Espionage Act of 1996 (18 U.S.C. ยงยง 1831โ1839), which punishes the theft of trade secrets to benefit foreign entities or for commercial gain. Penalties include up to 15 years in prison and millions in fines. It can also be prosecuted civilly.
Note the timing of that act.
What a coinkydink.
Holy cow, did Deep State plan well.
Talk about an incentive to keep yer trap shut if you submitted to blackmail...
It’s gonna be harder than Hell to build a case for corporate espionage when the people submitting to blackmail can be done criminally as well as in civil court.
Deep State planned well, didn’t it.