Woman guilty of Coke secrets plot

A former secretary at Coca-Cola has been found guilty of plotting to steal the company's secrets and sell them to its rival Pepsi.

Joya Williams could face up to 10 years in prison when sentencing takes place at a later date.

The court heard that Williams stole confidential documents and samples of new products, passing them to two men to sell to Pepsi for at least $1.5m.

The men - Ibrahim Dimson and Edmund Duhaney - have already pleaded guilty.

The three were charged last July with stealing product samples and confidential documents from Coca-Cola and trying to sell them to PepsiCo's Pepsi unit.

After the offer was made, PepsiCo contacted Coca-Cola and co-operated with FBI officials who held undercover meetings with Mr Dimson.

Investigators arranged a fake sale of the material for $1.5m (£800,000) and caught Ms Williams on camera putting papers and samples in her bag, the prosecution said.

She was an administrative assistant for Coke's global brand director at the firm's Atlanta headquarters.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6325895.stm