In a stunning turn of events, UK fintech giant Revolut has been pulled into the ongoing legal drama between Rippling and Deel, two startups embroiled in a bitter dispute over alleged corporate espionage. According to court records, Rippling is now suing Revolut to obtain information about a mysterious $6,000 payment made to one of its employees, Keith O'Brien, who claims he was paid to spy on Rippling.

O'Brien's affidavit, which reads like a Hollywood thriller, alleges that the payment was sent by Alba Basha Westgarth, the wife of Deel's COO Dan Westgarth, to his Revolut account in November 2024. At the time, Westgarth was working as the crypto compliance lead at Robinhood, according to her since-deleted LinkedIn profile. Robinhood has confirmed that she left the company earlier this year, but declined to provide further details.

The plot thickens, as Westgarth's deleted LinkedIn profile lists her location as Dubai, an extradition haven where Deel's CEO and legal director are currently residing, making it difficult for Rippling to serve them papers. This has led Rippling to seek Revolut's assistance in uncovering Westgarth's identity and confirming her connection to the suspicious payment.

Revolut, however, is pushing back, citing the EU's strict privacy laws, which make it difficult to disclose customer information without a court order. The company has hired a top lawyer in Ireland and responded to Rippling's request with a letter described as "helpful but complicated" by Rippling's lawyer. Revolut has declined to comment specifically on the case, but emphasized its commitment to complying with any court order requests for disclosure.

While there is no indication that Revolut has done anything wrong, the company's involvement has raised questions about its role in the dispute. The Irish High Court has hinted that it may grant Rippling's request to verify Westgarth's identity, with Judge Mark Sanfey remarking that the evidence presented so far is "unlikely" to be a coincidence.

The implications of this case go beyond the immediate legal battle, highlighting the complexities of corporate espionage and the challenges of navigating international privacy laws. As the tech industry continues to grapple with issues of data privacy and security, this case serves as a reminder of the importance of transparency and accountability.

Deel, which has denied all wrongdoing, has declined to comment on the matter. Rippling has also declined to comment, while Revolut remains tight-lipped about its involvement in the case. As the legal drama unfolds, one thing is clear: the stakes are high, and the outcome will have far-reaching consequences for the tech industry.