Feature: A pound of flesh: how Cisco’s “unmitigated gall” derailed one man’s life
[Via Ars Technica]
High-tech entrepreneur Peter Adekeye’s yearlong nightmare began after he dropped his wife off at the Vancouver International airport and headed downtown to The Wedgewood, a posh boutique hotel. Inside a tasteful boardroom adorned with gilt-framed mirrors, the US District Court for Northern California, San Jose division, had convened a special sitting to hear Adekeye’s deposition as part of a massive antitrust action he had launched against his former employer, the computer giant Cisco Systems. An official court video camera recorded the proceedings on May 20, 2010—Adekeye affably answering questions in an elegant black suit accented with a pale blue shirt and a coral tie.
At 5:15pm, however, two plainclothes women—the shorter one brandishing a badge—and two uniformed police officers entered the room. Adekeye was confused, as were his two Wall Street lawyers and the special judicial master conducting the hearing. But the four lawyers for Cisco knew exactly what was going on.
“I’m from the RCMP,” the taller woman said, “I’m sorry I have to interrupt your meeting here.”
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This story is sickening. An executive sues a large corporation. He finds his life turned upside down by the collusion of federal prosecutors, Canadian officials and the large corporation.
Being arrested, placed in jail for a month and having a year of his life destroyed was all a cynical ploy by the corporate lawyers. He was forced to stay in Canada instead of returning to his company.
The Canadian Judge dealing with the extradition request to the US was appalled when he saw all the data and called it shocking. He dismissed the case.
And they ended up losing eventually, since their settlement allowed the executive’s company to do what he wanted it to be allowed to do.
It shows that even a ‘member of the club’ can be railroaded when money is on the line. Using the criminal justice system to deal with a civil matter.
I imagine Denzel Washington will play him in the movie.
