[Jayhawkk]

Ex-Coke Secretary Sentenced to 8 Years

I know of people who have killed and got a lighter sentence...Don't **** with Coke? I mean the judge even went off the path to do this cause it can't be tolerated.

ATLANTA (AP) - A former Coca-Cola secretary convicted of conspiring to steal trade secrets from the world's largest beverage maker was sentenced Wednesday to 8 years in federal prison.

Joya Williams, 42, had faced up to 10 years in prison on the single conspiracy charge in a failed scheme to sell the materials to rival Pepsi for at least $1.5 million. She was convicted Feb. 2 following a jury trial in U.S. District Court in Atlanta, where The Coca-Cola Co. is based.

"This is the kind of offense that cannot be tolerated in our society," U.S. District Judge J. Owen Forrester said in imposing sentence.

A co-defendant, Ibrahim Dimson, was sentenced to 5 years in prison.

Forrester's sentence for Williams was higher than the 63 months to 78 months recommended by federal prosecutors and contained in sentencing guidelines for the judge to consider.

He said the seriousness of the crime necessitated a departure from the guidelines, which federal judges are not bound by.

Forrester also largely ignored a tearful apology by Williams, which was the first time she acknowledged what she did.

"I just wanted to say that I'm not a bad person," Williams told the judge before he imposed sentence. "I'm really not."

She added, "I am sorry to Coke and I'm sorry to my boss and to you and to my family as well."

[PumpingIron]

Seems like it should be more of a civil charge...

The judge must have made a few bucks on this.

What an *******.

[Jayhawkk]

Guess he isn't a pepsi fan

[CROWLER]

JayHawk,

I respect you and your point of view especially because the job you have, but I disagree.

About a year ago I caught my secretary trying to sell where we buy our foil bags from and she is now doing life in prison with no chance of parole, she ALMOST got the death penalty


CROWLER

[Jayhawkk]

I think there should be a punishment and in this case prison time. I just think that 8 years for 1.5million is a tad much when you have people like Martha Stewart who could of got a max of 30 years did next to nothing and on top of that will still be rich.

[CNizz]

Now did Pepsi report her or were they ready to commit when the police dropped in on zip lines? 8 years seems extremely excessive, although i can understand the amount of harm releasing that information could pose to Coke

[ShakesAllDay]

I think companies need to be protected from this sort of behavior, and one method of protection is harsh punishment.

So, lets say Pepsi acquires Coke's *secret forumula* and offers a copycat product, maybe even w/ heavy price undercutting. Coke takes a dive, as well as the possible thousands of people who could lose their jobs.

It's not just about the millionaires at the top, but all the family people working at the bottom.

[jomi822]

8 years for the "secret recipe"

its all sugar water come the **** on

[Jayhawkk]

I remember watching a show on this a while back and basically Pepsi turned in the lady. Those secret recipes are long in the past. It's more of a gentleman's promise now more than anything. With modern science and the disposable income, there is no secret

[ShakesAllDay]

Originally Posted by jomi822

8 years for the "secret recipe"

its all sugar water come the **** on

Secret sauces aside - it's the principle of the matter. Nothing good comes from corruption.

[Jayhawkk]

Very true and those laws should be in place. Keeping your business safe should be a priority. I just think the level of punishment was pretty durn extreme.

[brass monkey]

Corporations control the laws being passed to push there own agendas. I understand that have to protect themselves but dam eight years, is nuts.

[CryingEmo]

Coke is a crap corporation anyways, that puts out products that do not belong in your diet--they harm people, and their marketing furthers that harm.


She should be fined, not jailed. This is rediculous.

[Skyblue]

Go Coca Cola

[jomi822]

coca cola isnt just a company based in atlanta to people in atlanta. to them it is more or less a national treasure.

coke in atlanta is like what the world trade center was to new york.

just to put things in perspective

[anabolicrhino]

Originally Posted by Jayhawkk

Very true and those laws should be in place. Keeping your business safe should be a priority. I just think the level of punishment was pretty durn extreme.

Coca Cola is basically its formula. Its like the source code of Micro Soft or Google's page rank system.

Now all of these companies have grown through pathway dominance(Microsoft), keen marketing of lifestyle(Coke adds life)
or attaching a marketable value system to a librarian reference system(Google)

Its a property issue that transcends the product because they have become so infused in our daily lives.

If someone were to just give away the secret...it wouldn't matter because these brands have been indoctrinated into our minds...some people really believe that "Coke is the real thing" !

Coca-cola is "the multinational brand" Coke is the 2nd most recognizable word in the world behind mom !

[sugamber]

good deal !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!