News Summary

Rippling, a workforce management platform, has publicly accused Deel, an HR tech company, of engaging in corporate espionage. The allegations stem from the testimony of Keith O’Brien, a former Rippling employee, who claims he was paid by Deel to spy on Rippling. O’Brien, who worked in Rippling’s Dublin office, testified that Deel’s CEO, Alex Bouaziz, and CFO, Philippe Bouaziz, suggested he remain at Rippling to gather information for Deel. In return, he was allegedly compensated with monthly payments, initially in euros and later in cryptocurrency. O’Brien claims he shared sensitive data, including sales leads and customer accounts, over a four-month period. Rippling uncovered the espionage through a sting operation, which led to O’Brien being confronted and subsequently cooperating with authorities. Deel has denied all allegations and plans to file counterclaims.