Ex Neways Owner Under Injunction

SPRINGVILLE - An injunction has been issued against the former owner of Neways International, who is accused of using inside information to help his family launch two competing multilevel marketing companies.

The May 25 injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Bruce S. Jenkins prohibits Thomas Mower Sr., Neways' former owner, and his two sons, Thomas Mower Jr. and Darick Mower, from using the company's product formulas, distributor lists and vendor lists to advance their new businesses, Sisel International LLC and SupraNaturals LLC.

Jenkins also ordered the Mowers to return any record of such information, including computer discs, to Neways, a cosmetics and health-supplement company that does business in more than two dozen countries.

All three companies rely on multilevel marketing to distribute personal care and nutritional products. Neways filed a complaint May 23, accusing the Mowers of taking many of the company's trade secrets with them after selling Neways to Golden Gate Capital, a San Francisco-based equity firm, in 2006.