After evasion allegations, Deel accepts service in Rippling lawsuit
Move ends a tense standoff over court service as Deel executives surface in Ireland through local counsel, amid allegations of corporate espionage and retaliation.
After weeks of courtroom maneuvering and allegations of evasion, global HR tech unicorn Deel has formally accepted legal service in Ireland, a pivotal development in its bitter legal battle with rival Rippling.
The announcement puts an end to Rippling’s claims that Deel executives—including CEO Alex Bouaziz and fintech attorney Asif Malik—were avoiding being served, despite failed attempts by bailiffs across multiple countries. According to new filings, Deel's Irish counsel agreed in a Dublin court to accept legal documents on behalf of Bouaziz, Malik, and executive Andrea David Mieli.
Rippling alleges that Deel recruited a company insider, Keith O’Brien, to act as a corporate spy in its Dublin office—a claim O’Brien corroborated in an affidavit, admitting he passed confidential materials to Deel for $6,000 a month. Deel has denied the allegations, calling them defamatory and retaliatory.
The litigation is now playing out on both sides of the Atlantic. Just days ago, Deel filed a countersuit in Delaware accusing Rippling of orchestrating a campaign of corporate sabotage, including bribery, disinformation, and even embedding its own agents inside Deel.
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The lawsuit also alleges that Rippling engaged in a coordinated smear campaign against Deel, hiring PR consultants and lobbyists to push negative stories and regulatory complaints. Deel pointed to Rippling’s own marketing, which in the past reportedly referred to Deel’s services as “snake oil” — part of what Deel says was a broader effort to tarnish its reputation.
Earlier this month, it was reported that Deel CEO Alex Bouaziz is in Dubai — a detail that had frustrated Rippling’s efforts to serve him with legal papers in Ireland’s High Court. A Deel spokesperson told TechCrunch last Friday that “Alex lives in Israel. He was in Dubai for a few days for Passover with his family, something he’s done for the past several years."
With both companies valued above $12 billion and competing for dominance in a high-stakes, compliance-heavy market, the battle between Deel and Rippling is no longer just a legal skirmish. It’s a geopolitical drama that raises profound questions about corporate ethics, global jurisdiction, and the shadowy tactics deployed in Silicon Valley’s most aggressive rivalries.
