I recently left my employer of 28 years because of pay cuts of 15%, 5% and then another 25% in January. I got a job at another company doing the same

things, finishing products in the photofinishing industry. I and my new employer just received warnings that we have violated Trade Secret provisions in my ex-employee handbook and they are looking to sue us. Their real problem is that they told customers I retired and since leaving I have e-mailed some customers I considered friends and told them goodbye and where they could find me if they ever needed me. In NONE of the e-mails did I ask anyone to quit and switch to the new company nor did I disparage the old company. In their complaint they want to know who I''ve talked to and given Trade secrets to. They said a customer called them and questioned their ability to provide services because of my efforts to call into question their ability. I simply haven''t done that and they can''t prove it because it just didn''t happen. They do know I''m broke after all the pay cuts(that''s why I had to quit) and they''ve been looking to destroy this competitor for years. They''re trying to make me unemp