Owner of intermodal repair company sues brother over stolen data, accounts

The owner of an intermodal repair services company is suing over claims his younger brother, a League City resident, attempted to destroy his business by draining company accounts, poaching company employees and stealing company secrets.

Intermodal Equipment Logistics LLC filed a lawsuit on Aug. 22 in the Harris County District Court against League City resident John Perouty, citing breach of fiduciary duty, unauthorized use of computer and violations of the Texas Theft Act.

Intermodal owner Jim Perouty says that in July he learned the chief operating officer of the company, his brother John, had stopped paying federal payroll taxes, used hacking software to wipe the hard drive of the company’s trade secrets data, and charged $17,000 worth of landscaping, done at his home, to the company.

John went to work for the company’s chief competitor, Frederick Intermodal, in July, taking its trade secrets and top employees with him and contacting Intermodal’s clients in attempts to steal accounts, according to the brief.

Intermodal Equipment Logistics is seeking injunctive relief, actual and punitive damages, as well as attorney’s fees and court costs. It is being represented in the case by Houston attorney Joseph McDermott, III.

Harris County District Court Case No. 2011-49540.

This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed at the Harris County Courthouse. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note, a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt, and it only represents one side of the story.