A 2020 lawsuit filed by Better.com alleged a former employee gave its trade secrets to Beeline Loans.
The complaint accused Beeline of “the brazen, willful and deliberate misappropriation of Better’s confidential information and trade secrets.” Better further charged its competitor “intentionally and unlawfully obtained, possesses, and is using” those trade secrets.
According to the Better’s legal filings, Beeline obtained the information and trade secrets from a former Better employee, Jack Abramowitz, “whom Beeline hired in no small part because of his knowledge of, and access to, Better’s confidential and proprietary information.”
Better further accused Beeline of responding “dismissively” when it was contacted by Better to address Abramowitz alleged actions. Better then launched its own investigation which it claimed to have revealed that Beeline executives “knowingly sought, received, and accepted” the information from Abramowitz.
“A competitor acting in good faith would have told Abramowitz to stop – that he had no right to use or disseminate Better’s confidential and proprietary information, and that it had no desire whatsoever to obtain, spread, or use any non-public information from Better. Beeline, however, did not act in good faith,” Better stated in its filings.
While Better specifically names Abramowitz as the one who stole the information and provided it to Beeline, he is not a named defendant in the suit.
Better is seeking an injunction against Beeline and its employees from possessing or using Better’s confidential information and trade secrets; an order providing for the seizure of Better’s trade secrets from Beeline; both compensatory and punitive damages; and court and attorneys’ fees.
The suit is now set to go to trial on Jan. 8, 2024, with a final pre-trial conference set for Jan. 4, 2024.