Deel CEO Alex Bouaziz allegedly instructed a Rippling employee to steal confidential sales information from his employer in exchange for 5,000 euros worth of monthly compensation, according to an affidavit filed in Irish court this week.
The affidavit reveals for the first time the perspective of the alleged spy, Keith O’Brien, in a scheme to steal Rippling trade secrets. A lawsuit filed by Rippling last month escalated a high-profile battle between two darlings—and fierce competitors—of the VC-backed business software world. Combined, the two HR software companies have raised over $2 billion.
The affidavit, which lays out the communication between Deel’s CEO, CFO Philippe Bouaziz, and Rippling employee O’Brien, alleges that Deel paid O’Brien to steal Rippling’s roadmap, sales leads and customer details.
O’Brien appears to be cooperating with prosecutors, and says in the document that he has evidence, in the form of Telegram chat logs and cryptocurrency transfers, that links Deel leadership to the alleged spying scheme. A linchpin in the case is whether litigators can tie O’Brien’s actions to Deel, according to trade secrets attorneys.
Deel did not respond to PitchBook’s request for comment.
O’Brien said in the affidavit that he has evidence of a transfer of 6,000 euros sent from Deel COO Dan Westgarth’s wife, and records of subsequent transfers from a cryptocurrency wallet. O’Brien was allegedly wired the equivalent of 5,000 euros per month in cryptocurrency in compensation, and was instructed by Deel’s CFO to “clean up” any information trail between Deel leadership and O’Brien.
“Soon after I received the initial payment, Philippe Bouaziz informed me that future payments would be made via cryptocurrency, as this method would leave ‘no trace,’ ” O’Brien testified.
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