The FBI is investigating a former Ford engineer after listening devices were discovered in meeting rooms at offices for the company, according to USA Today.
A statement from Ford said that the company has “initiated an investigation of a now-former employee and requested the assistance of the FBI.”
The statement also said that the offices have not been searched by the FBI.
“Ford voluntarily provided the information and items requested in the search warrant. We continue to work in cooperation with the FBI on this joint investigation. As this is an ongoing investigation, we are not able to provide additional details.”
A spokeswoman for Ford, Susan Krusel, said: “Ford and the FBI are working together on a joint investigation involving a former employee. As this is an ongoing investigation, we are not able to provide additional details.”
The FBI has taken the listening devices into its possession after a sweep of the company offices. The devices were not found in the board room of the company. The discovery of the devices led to the firing of a 17-year engineer veteran of the company.
The engineer has been identified as Sharon Leech, according to the search warrant filed in federal court in Detroit. Her house has also been searched by the FBI. Her personal email accounts are also being reviewed.
When contacted by The Detroit News, Leech said, “I’m not gonna talk,” said Leach, 43. “I’m a private person.”
The lawyer for Leech, Marshall Tauber said, “She has done nothing wrong nor been accused of doing anything wrong. It didn’t involve anything of a spying nature. She wanted to record conversations of meetings she attended but didn’t know how to do it. She was insecure about her note-taking. It was very difficult to remove them when other people were in the same room. That leads to Ford Motor security finding this activity suspicious.”
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