It’s not every day that we get a juicy scandal in CE.  This isn’t Wall St. after all.

Sometimes this material just writes itself:

http://businessopinions.blogspot.com/2008/03/amx-exec-charged-with-cyber-crime-which.html

Just for your info I try to cover this “event” on my Blog in German language.
http://steindls.blogspot.com/

While I understand Ms. Suttenberberg’s outrage, she’s wrong to call the trangression an industry embarassment.  The “industry” has nothing to do with this, and regrettably criminal acts can and do occur in any industry.

This is the act of rogue employee engaging in behavior that was likely neither learned nor encouraged by our industry.

Right on, Richard. Although let’s not convict Goldenberg yet—innocent until proven guilty—this type of espionage happens in every industry and says nothing about our own.

Suttenberg is just playing up the violins to the media, as you would expect her to do.

As I said on my personal blog, this is reminiscent of WestJet’s scandal four years ago, where their co-founder was accessing Air Canada’s intranet to gain a hyooge competitive advantage.  There’s nothing here that’s really new or unique.

And indeed, he’s still innocent until proven guilty.

This type of espionage does not happen, where personal info and payroll records and contracts were taken by a competitor.  I hardly think that this is a minor issue. 

Prosecutors don’t generally bring charges for “minor” offenses or one’s that they don’t have a good case. 

It will be interesting to see who, if anyone else, at AMX are aware of.

Many have it INCORRECT, its not “INNOCENT until proven guilty”, its “PRESUMED innocent until proven guilty.” Otherwise, it suggests guilty parties are innocent and we all know that is not the case. You can be guilty but must be PRESUMED innocent until proven otherwise.

Bill, good point. I imagine there are more GUILTY parties, LOL.

One comment I think needs to be added to this mess is that EVERYBODY should take a step back and wait for all the information to come out. IF he did what they claim he and anybody else involved with pay the price.

BUT I think people who don’t know the long and pathetic history between the management of Crestron and AMX, at least the old management of AMX, is filled with under handed and very questionably things nothing should surprise anybody.

I remember one story I was told goes back a few years but an employee of Crestron was paid to get information from a “boy friend” who was a successful AMX dealer about a project. So there has been actions on both sides that could be questioned for ethics all day long.

That being said the one item that still stinks to me is that Goldenberg came from a smart integrator, and he has been in this technology for years. The simple items listed make me wonder how in the world could he have done something so dumb, visible and easily traced? Either one of two things are true.

1) He’s an idiot and didn’t understand how PC’s work at all????? Very questionable…

2) There is MUCH MORE to this story that hasn’t come out becuase there are other things, people or plan at play here.

Just some devil’s advocate thoughts. Am I crazy? Love to here back from forum.

Ralph, in agreement with you. IMO, its not likely he acted alone in doing something so incredibly stupid and traceable. It was likely some type of agreement between mulitiple parties whereby they:

1) Thought it was fun
2) Didnt think it was a big deal
3) Its a “one-up” in the long standing “game” between the two companies
4) Just yet another play with more to follow - “Ball is in your court now” sorta

A combination of the above or other reasons, who knows. It will actually be an interesting story to watch unfold as I imagine there is alot that has yet to come out. The bad part is it will likely put egg on both companies face and neither will when in the court of public opinion. All just opinion here of course.

This is a huge deal.  Both companies compete for military, FBI, Local Goverment, etc contracts that are all in question now.

What is the likelyhood that the VP wasn’t sharing this info with the President either knowingly or unknowingly?

Avarice, Greed, Ego...the whole package…

Presumed innocent...of course..but if you have to lay your money somewhere…

I have worked with David for a number of years in a junior position. THE IMPRESSION I got that he was a very smart person, however I didn’t think he was that dumb. good luck on you case dave.