Uhh, France's corporate espionage dwarfs this "apparent" episode, whose evidence is apparently a throwaway line in a FT article?

Your source: a random line in an article about an episode that occurred 23 years ago during the Clinton administration. My source: a well researched book covering the entire history of modern espionage with a significant portion dedicated to corporate espionage, with specific mention of the Clinton administration's handling of this topic.