Man charged for stealing, destroying equipment from competitor’s laboratory

MILLBURN, NJ — A Brooklyn man was arrested Aug. 10 for allegedly entering a laboratory business on false pretenses and destroying and stealing that business’ equipment, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Eric Leykin, 31, of Brooklyn, N.Y., is charged by complaint with one count of wire fraud and one count of accessing a protected computer without authorization and recklessly causing damage. He appeared by videoconference Aug. 10 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jessica S. Allen in Newark federal court and was released on $1 million unsecured bond.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, Leykin was the CEO of a clinical reference laboratory in Kenilworth. Leykin’s laboratory competed against the victim business, another clinical reference laboratory, based in Millburn. On June 30, Leykin allegedly bought a prepaid mobile phone and called an employee of the victim business, claiming to be a technician with a vendor that the victim business used to service its laboratory equipment. On that false pretense, Leykin reportedly scheduled an appointment with the victim business’ employee to supposedly service some of the victim business’ laboratory equipment. On July 1, the date of the supposed service appointment, Leykin allegedly went to the victim business and proceeded to destroy a significant amount of the victim business’ laboratory and computer equipment, in at least one instance doing so with a USB kill stick device. Leykin also allegedly stole multiple hard drives housed within the victim business’ equipment.

The wire fraud count carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and the computer intrusion count carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison. Both counts also carry a maximum fine of either $250,000 or twice the gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.

The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proved guilty.

  U.S. Attorney’s Office