The J.M. Smucker Company has filed a lawsuit against a former employee, accusing him of stealing trade secrets and confidential information. The complaint was filed on February 12, 2026, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio against Paul-Yvann Djamen, who is alleged to have improperly copied and retained sensitive company data.
According to the complaint, Smucker hired Djamen as a Senior Scientist to contribute to the development of their food products, including their popular Uncrustables line. However, after being placed on a performance improvement plan due to unsatisfactory work, Djamen’s employment was terminated in September 2025. Following his termination, Smucker discovered that Djamen had not returned all company-issued laptops and had transferred thousands of emails and sensitive files to personal storage devices. The company claims that these actions violated multiple laws including the Defend Trade Secrets Act and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.
Smucker asserts that Djamen’s actions pose a significant risk to their competitive edge in the market by potentially allowing competitors access to proprietary methods and product formulations developed over decades. “A peanut butter and jelly sandwich may seem simple,” states the complaint, “but achieving the Smucker standard requires specialized scientific expertise.” The company is seeking injunctive relief to prevent further misuse of its trade secrets, return of all confidential materials, destruction of any derived works from stolen data, and monetary damages exceeding $500,000.
Representing Smucker are attorneys David S. Bloomfield Jr. and Jhay T. Spottswood-Harrison from Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP. The case is presided over by Judge John R. Adams under Case ID 5:26-cv-00359-JRA.
Source: 526cv00359_The_JM_Smucker_Company_v_Djamen_Complaint_Northern_District_Ohio.pdf
