Meta, as reported by The Register, has initiated legal proceedings against former Vice President of Infrastructure, Dipinder Singh Khurana, over suspicions of pilfering “top-secret plans” pertaining to data centers.
Khurana’s Tenure and Departure
Known as T.S. Khurana, he served at Meta/Facebook for approximately 12 years, departing in June 2023 to assume the role of Senior Vice President of Operations at a startup operating in stealth mode. The startup’s identity remains undisclosed in court filings.
Allegations of Data Theft
Post-resignation, Khurana purportedly misused his access rights to abscond with “proprietary, highly classified, confidential, and proprietary documents” concerning Meta’s business and personnel. These documents allegedly encompass internal details about Meta’s data centers, supplier information, and AI-related projects, along with operational and procurement expense data.
Meta asserts that despite receiving “generous compensation” upon departure, Khurana opted to appropriate corporate data. The pilfered files were allegedly uploaded to his personal Google Drive and Dropbox accounts, with many copied to folders under his new employer’s name.
Legal Action and Charges
Meta contends that the stolen information was exploited, in part, to recruit employees for Khurana’s new employer specializing in cloud AI technologies, notes NIXSolutions. The company has leveled five charges against Khurana, including breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and breach of fiduciary duty, seeking damages from its former VP.
We’ll keep you updated on the developments of this case.