The maker of Jeep SUVs and Ram pickup trucks on Tuesday accused General Motors Co. of "corporate espionage" in an attempt to block the Wayne County Circuit Court from reconsidering the Detroit automaker's lawsuit against Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV.
The court last month dismissed GM's civil suit claiming "billions" of dollars in damages after FCA executives bribed United Auto Workers officials in efforts to corrupt three rounds of bargaining to harm and take over GM. Judge David Allen said the company failed to show it was harmed. FCA, which is now a part of Stellantis NV and has pleaded guilty for breaking federal labor laws, has called GM's accusations "meritless," though a federal lawsuit remains pending.
GM earlier this month requested reconsideration in the county court, but FCA says its request doesn't address the insufficiencies of the first complaint. Additionally, FCA says its rival's second complaint shows the automaker and its lawyers impersonated in emails former FCA employees to prove the existence of foreign bank accounts — an action known as "spoofing" or "pretexting."
"The only corporate espionage apparent on the face of GM’s Proposed Second Amended Complaint is that perpetrated by GM and its counsel in retaining private investigators to spoof the 'email addresses' of former FCA employees in emails sent to 'financial institutions' around the globe," FCA's lawyer, Thomas Cranmer, wrote in the company's response to GM's request.
"However GM seeks to dress it...
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