Former Konecranes Employees Suspected of Corporate Espionage in Finnish Investigation

Finnish police have completed a preliminary investigation into allegations of corporate espionage and abuse of trust involving former employees of the industrial giant Konecranes. The investigation centers on suspicions that a group of employees attempted to illicitly transfer sensitive company information to a new employer.

The Central Criminal Police announced that the investigation, which examined over 70 electronic devices and involved interviewing dozens of witnesses, has identified 17 suspects. The case is now being forwarded to the South Finland prosecutor's office for review and potential charges.

Konecranes confirmed that the investigation relates to its former employees but declined to comment further. The case gained public attention in 2023 when the Eastern Uusimaa District Court issued a protective order related to the matter. The alleged scheme involved a coordinated mass resignation of employees who then moved to a competitor, Viafin Service.

Investigators believe the employees began planning the move while still employed at Konecranes. They are suspected of acquiring customer data and salary information, intending to use these trade secrets at their new company. Evidence, including an email from the summer of 2022, suggests the group organized events in various cities to entice Konecranes installers to switch jobs, aiming to exploit a period when Konecranes might face staffing shortages.

The email indicated a plan to provide departing installers with pre-filled resignation forms and new employment contracts from the competing firm. Viafin Service, the company where the former Konecranes employees reportedly found new positions, is also a publicly listed entity. When contacted, Viafin Service CEO Heikki Pisu declined to comment on the investigation or whether the suspected individuals remain employed by his company.