Uber Ex-CEO Travis Kalanick Knew of Stolen Google Files
June 22 2017 - 5:09PM
Dow Jones News
By Jack Nicas
Former Uber Technologies Inc. Chief Executive Travis Kalanick
knew an engineer had allegedly stolen Google files before hiring
the engineer last year, according to Uber's attorneys.
It is the first evidence that Uber executives were aware of the
files of self-driving technology that are at the center of a
lawsuit between Uber and Google parent Alphabet Inc.
However, Uber attorneys said, when Mr. Kalanick learned of the
files in March 2016, he instructed the engineer to not bring them
to Uber. That engineer, former Google executive Anthony
Levandowski, later told Uber he destroyed the files before Uber
bought his startup for $680 million in August 2016 and he was
appointed to lead Uber's self-driving team, they said.
The revelation came in court documents filed late Wednesday,
shedding new light on what Uber executives knew about the allegedly
stolen files and when.
Alphabet's driverless-car unit Waymo "has been making up a story
that Uber asked Mr. Levandowski to bring material over (from)
Google, when the truth is the exact opposite," Uber lead attorney
Arturo Gonzalez said in an interview. "This new development proves
Uber never wanted any Google info."
Waymo didn't respond to a request for comment. In the filing,
Waymo argued the new details showed Uber violated an earlier court
order to turn over any information about the deletion of the
allegedly stolen files. Uber's Mr. Gonzalez said he planned to
fight that allegation.
Waymo has accused Uber of colluding with Mr. Levandowski to
steal trade secrets from Google and incorporate them into Uber's
driverless-car technology. Uber denies the allegations. Attorneys
for Mr. Levandowski, who was fired by Uber last month for not
cooperating in the lawsuit, didn't respond to a request for
comment.
In response to a Waymo request for information, Uber attorneys
said earlier this month that in March 2016, when Uber was looking
into Mr. Levandowski's driverless-truck startup as an acquisition
target, Mr. Levandowski told Mr. Kalanick and other Uber executives
that he had "five discs in his possession containing Google
information."
Uber attorneys said that Mr. Kalanick then told Mr. Levandowski
he "should not bring any Google information into Uber and that Uber
did not want any Google information."
Write to Jack Nicas at jack.nicas@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
June 22, 2017 16:54 ET (20:54 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2017 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG)
Historical Stock Chart
From Aug 2024 to Sep 2024
Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG)
Historical Stock Chart
From Sep 2023 to Sep 2024