Deel Inc. Faces Allegations of Corporate Espionage Amid Legal Battle

According to ShibDaily, Deel Inc., a human resources software company, is embroiled in allegations of corporate espionage following claims that a former employee of competitor Rippling confessed to spying under the direction of Deel’s CEO, Alex Bouaziz. An affidavit unsealed in an Irish court reveals that Keith O’Brien, the ex-employee, admitted to receiving approximately €5,000 monthly for sharing confidential information about Rippling, including corporate strategies, customer insights, and internal communications. O’Brien reportedly stated that Bouaziz encouraged him to remain at Rippling and act as an informant, likening the role to that of a spy akin to “James Bond.” Payments were allegedly coordinated through Deel CFO Philippe Bouaziz and often made using cryptocurrency. Rippling discovered the espionage scheme after observing unusual activities, such as Deel’s aggressive recruitment of its employees and inquiries from journalists about internal discussions. Security teams initiated an investigation, creating a fake Slack channel as a “honeypot” to verify suspicions. Shortly thereafter, O’Brien accessed the decoy channel, providing evidence of unauthorized surveillance. Legal proceedings intensified when Rippling obtained a court order to search O’Brien’s devices. He subsequently admitted to resetting and destroying his phone on the advice of Deel’s legal team and was urged to relocate to Dubai for safety. Rippling’s lawsuit accuses Deel of racketeering, trade secret misappropriation, and unfair competition. Deel has denied any wrongdoing and announced plans to file counterclaims.