Tesla Is Seeking $167 Million In Damages From A Former Employee
Tesla is suing a former employee for $167 million (£132.5 million) over allegations that he stole confidential photographs and trade secrets earlier this year.
Martin Tripp is also accused of making false claims about Tesla’s working practices, namely that the company knowingly fitted punctured batteries to early Model 3 saloons and has elsewhere sold ‘unsafe’ cars.
Tripp isn’t the first ex-Tesla employee to hit out at Tesla for alleged sub-standard activity on the production line. Former regional manager Adam Williams has also sued the company, claiming that Tesla sold defective cars – a claim denied by Tesla – before firing him for going to bosses about it.
The vast amount of damages sought from Tripp is, says Tesla, a reflection not just of the scale of the accusation but also the actual damage done to Tesla’s share price in the wake of his allegations. Quite how they expect him to pay it if they win is another question.
Tesla’s lawsuit claims that Tripp tried to recruit other Tesla staff to work against the company and that his assertions about the way cars are built by the firm are false. Tesla claims that Tripp started a vendetta against the brand after being passed over for a promotion at the Gigafactory.
Meanwhile, Tripp’s counter-suit is trying to force 10 employees, including Elon Musk, to testify in court. Tesla is fighting on both counts and trying to limit the number of employees that have to speak.
Source: Motor Authority
Comments
Oof
Big oof
oh fugging shidd, that’s epic 😎👌 that employee OWNED elon “poopy bad man” musk 😂😤👏🔥🔥🔥
Lawsuits? sounds like another company…
To be fair, Tesla needs to win this suit.
Its unfair for the company to be treated unfair like that.
And leaking private data?
Yeah that’s many many years in the Gaul
Sounds like a punitive figure, I doubt they even expect to receive 1% of that number but if they won it should put fear into anyone planning a similar attack.
Elon Musk should just stick to making rockets that can land, that is genuinely cool stuff, his cars however are not.
Some people get so butthurt and salty, I think the sum is vastly excessive and will never be granted but what the employee did obviously was malicious.