Deel and Rippling corporate espionage case takes a turn as accused ‘spy’ agrees to cooperate
The payroll manager at the center of the controversy is now assisting in efforts to recover information sought by the court.
A payroll manager at the center of the high-stakes Deel-Rippling corporate espionage case has agreed to cooperate with efforts to recover critical information sought in an Irish High Court investigation. Keith O’Brien, accused by HR software company Rippling of passing trade secrets to its rival Deel, is now engaging with the court’s requests after admitting last week that he destroyed his phone, the court heard.
Rippling alleges ‘spy’ was paid in Deel espionage case
During a hearing on Monday, lawyers for Rippling told judge Mark Sanfey that O’Brien is scheduled to meet with a court-appointed solicitor in Dublin to outline what information he may still hold. The development marks a significant shift in the case, which has pitted two billion-dollar HR technology firms against each other in an escalating legal battle.
Rippling, which is valued at over $13.5 billion, has accused Deel, a $12 billion competitor, of orchestrating a corporate espionage scheme by embedding O’Brien in its Dublin office. The company claims that O’Brien leaked confidential business information, including trade secrets, to Deel in an alleged act of corporate theft. Deel has denied any wrongdoing.
The case took a dramatic turn last week when O’Brien admitted in court that he had “destroyed” his mobile phone after an order was issued requiring him to preserve and hand over his devices for examination. He told the court that he had been under “complete duress” and experiencing severe stress due to the mounting legal and media attention surrounding the case.
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Monday’s hearing provided the first indication that O’Brien is now willing to cooperate. Marcus Dowling SC, representing Rippling, described the latest developments as “significant progress,” stating that a resolution could be reached by the end of the week. Judge Sanfey acknowledged that O’Brien was facing personal difficulties but emphasized that he still had an obligation to comply with court orders.
The court also extended an existing order preventing O’Brien from deleting or altering any remaining materials related to the case until the next hearing. Meanwhile, a separate application to move Rippling’s lawsuit into the Commercial Court’s fast-track system was adjourned for a week to allow further discussions.
While the latest developments suggest some movement toward a resolution, the broader legal battle between Rippling and Deel remains unresolved. The lawsuit, originally filed in the United States, has expanded across multiple jurisdictions, underscoring the high stakes involved. Rippling has previously alleged that Deel’s leadership was directly involved in the scheme, while Deel has dismissed the claims as a “sensationalized” distraction.
The matter is set to return to the Irish High Court next week as the legal fight over one of the HR tech industry’s most explosive disputes continues to unfold.
