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If you read the affidavit, he already left the country, but had come back, they were just lucky to get him the second time through.

Also, the affidavit makes it sound like the FBI didn't even get involved until after the company confronted him about the data they knew he kept, and him trying to use the data as leverage to get a better severance package. At that point it's really more extortion than 'hacking'.

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Yes he had already left once, but that was about 4 days before anyone noticed the database activity.

It doesn't matter, he got called out on having sensitive data, admitted it, and then tried to blackmail the company with it.

The computer forensics part is pretty much a moot point after that.

Apparently it does matter which unit prosecutes the case, at least to whoever set up the units. Who knows, it could be as simple as the National Security unit treating it as possible espionage but then going with the trade secret charge. They don't specify.

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