By Bill Brewer
Knoxnews.com

Lenoir City defense contractor EOD Technology Inc., which provides security services for the U.S. military in Iraq, is suing five former employees for $80 million and accusing them of stealing company secrets to form a competing company.

One of the former senior managers being sued, Eric W. Barton, was accused in a 2007 Army investigation of helping secure $2.5 million in contracts for EODT through inside information he received from an Air Force captain with whom he was having an extramarital affair.

EODT filed suit against Barton, Steven J. Barton, Daniel J. Smith, Kenneth D. Biles, Donald M. Patton and the company they are said to have formed -- Tennessee, Mississippi and Nevada operations of Critical Mission Support Services LLC and Vanquish Worldwide LLC.