DOJ Says Patent Examiner Will Pay $500,000 to Resolve Alleged Ethics Reform Act Violation

"Daxin Wu is alleged to have examined at least nine applications for companies she held stock in between January 2019 and May 2022. Specifically, the DOJ said that she reviewed applications for companies in which she held more than $300,000 and $140,000 worth of stock, respectively, and that she reviewed applications for companies that were competitors of a firm in which she owned more than $900,000 worth of stock."

"Wu's conduct allegedly violates the Ethics Reform Act of 1989, which 'prohibits executive branch employees from participating personally and substantially in particular matters that will affect their own financial interests,' said the DOJ release."

"A 2024 Department of Commerce report recommended in part that the USPTO Director direct the Chief Administrative Officer to '[s]trengthen controls to ensure that human resource officials identify examiner appointments to positions requiring financial disclosure...'"

Daxin Wu, a USPTO examiner, agreed to pay $500,000 to settle allegations that she examined at least nine patent applications for companies in which she held substantial financial stakes between January 2019 and May 2022. Wu reviewed applications for companies in which she held over $300,000 and $140,000 in stock respectively, and examined applications from competitors of a firm in which she owned over $900,000 in stock. Her conduct allegedly violated the Ethics Reform Act of 1989, which prohibits executive branch employees from participating in matters affecting their own financial interests. The Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General investigated the conflict of interest allegations, working with the Department of Justice to hold offenders accountable.

Read at IPWatchdog.com | Patents & Intellectual Property Law