Former Quicken Employee Indicted for Allegedly Stealing Trade Secrets

A Michigan man stole computer secrets from his former employer, Quicken Loans Inc., according to a grand jury indictment unsealed Thursday in Detroit.

Michael Hummel, 35, is charged with wire fraud and theft of trade secrets and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of the most serious charge, wire fraud.

Hummel worked at Quicken's Livonia, Michigan offices from February 2005 until November 2006 as a senior Web developer and software engineer, according to a news release issued by the U.S. Attorney's Office.

He stole developed secrets about how to make the company's Web sites operate quickly and effectively, the news release said.

Beginning in May 2006, while still working for Quicken, Hummel began consulting with another company and stole Quicken secrets to help the other company build its Web sites, the indictment alleges.

"Protecting the competitive edge technology of our companies through vigorous enforcement of our federal trade secret laws is a top priority of this office," said interim U.S. Attorney Terrence Berg.

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