Science & Technology

Spy games in HR tech: Inside Rippling’s wild lawsuit against Deel

Rippling’s latest lawsuit () reads less like a legal filing and more like the plot of a corporate espionage thriller, complete with secret crypto payments, an alleged mole, and a fake Slack channel trap. This week, the HR tech startup publicly named the employee at the center of its case () against its rival Deel,…

Published

1 year ago

April 4, 2025

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This week, the HR tech startup publicly named the employee at the center of its case () against its rival Deel, claiming the company paid him thousands to spy from the inside. Deel, however, is not staying quiet. The company is denying the claims, calling it a dramatic distraction from Rippling’s own legal troubles.

Today, on TechCrunch’s Equity () podcast, hosts Max Zeff and Anthony Ha are catching us up on the week’s headlines, including a breakdown of how this saga between two HR tech giants escalated from business rivalry to accusations of racketeering, and why, according to Max, smashing the phone you use for corporate espionage with an ax at your mother-in-law’s house is “the oldest trick in the book.”

Listen to the full episode to hear about:

• The startup that’s gamifying the tax filing process () , and the copyright questions that continue to rise

•
Circle’s IPO () and what the move could signal for others in the crypto space.

• The latest in the AI race — from OpenAI’s record-breaking raise () and GPU meltdowns () to Anthropic’s AI chatbot plan for colleges () and Google’s Gemini leadership shakeup () .

Equity will be back next week, so stay tuned!

Equity is TechCrunch’s flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Wednesday and Friday.

Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts () , Overcast () , Spotify () and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X () and Threads () , at @EquityPod. For the full episode transcript, for those who prefer reading over listening, check out our full archive of episodes here () .

Credits: Equity is produced by Theresa Loconsolo with editing by Kell. We’d also like to thank TechCrunch’s audience development team. Thank you so much for listening, and we’ll talk to you next time.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices ()

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A Foldable iPhone? Siri AI in a HomePod? What to Expect at the iPhone Event | All Things Mobile

Apple’s September iPhone Event will be led by a new CEO, loaded with hardware, and full of surprises. We could finally get a foldable iPhone, new smart speakers, powerful smartwatches and more. Here’s what to expect and what we really want to see once Apple pulls back the curtain on September 9th. Read more about…

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1 day ago

August 31, 2026

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Read more about Apple’s rumored new foldable phone on CNET.com
A Folding iPhone at Last? What to Expect From Apple’s Surprise and Shine Fall Event

0:00 Introduction & Apple Event Rumors
0:34 What to Expect: iPhone 18 Pro & Pro Max
1:22 What to Expect: Apple Watch Series 12 & Ultra 4
2:01 What to Expect: CEO Transition to John Ternus
2:41 Wishlist: Foldable iPhone Ultra
4:00 Wishlist: Smart Home & HomePod Displays
4:57 Wishlist: Siri AI Fitness Coach
6:09 Outro & World Record Result

Video Credits:
Host: Andrew Gebhart
Scripted by: Andrew Gebhart
Producer: Iyaz Akhtar, Bridget Carey
Camera: JD Christison
Video Editor: Chris Monroe
Thumbnail Designer: Tharon Green

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#iphone #apple #applewatch #technews #foldable

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The Day Tim Cook Replaced Steve Jobs: The iPhone 4S Launch | CNET Archives

Watch the moment Tim Cook takes the stage for his first product launch as Apple CEO in 2011. Stepping into Steve Jobs’ shoes, Cook welcomes the crowd to Apple’s Town Hall auditorium, reflects on his 14-year journey and teases the future of tech. Read more about it on CNET.com Tim Cook’s Legacy: Turning Apple’s Tech…

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1 day ago

August 31, 2026

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Read more about it on CNET.com
Tim Cook’s Legacy: Turning Apple’s Tech Chic Gadgets Into Status Symbols

Timecode Chapters:
0:20 Welcome & CEO Introduction
0:58 The History of Apple’s Town Hall
1:43 Unveiling Apple’s Integrated Vision
2:12 Introducing the iPhone 4S
2:54 Summary of Announcements (iOS 5, iCloud, & Siri)
3:36 Closing Remarks & Thanks

Video Credits:
Producer/Editor: Vatsal Upadhyay
Thumbnail Designer: Tharon Green

#timcook #apple #iphone4s

CNET

NASA Launches The Roman Space Telescope: Earth’s New Orbiting Observatory

NASA and SpaceX successfully launched the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope from the historic Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Orbiting Observatory was named after NASA’s first chief astronomer, Nancy Grace Roman and can produce images from deep space 100 times larger than NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. Read more about…

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2 days ago

August 30, 2026

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Read more about NASA’s Roman Space Telescope on CNET.com:
NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Telescope Is About to Start Its Cosmic Survey

0:00 Liftoff & Ascent
1:03 Max Q
1:54 Side Booster Cutoff & Separation
2:07 Boostback Burn
2:40 Main Core Separation & Second Stage Ignition
2:57 Fairing Separation
3:34 Side Booster Entry Burn
4:09 Side Booster Landing Burn & Touchdown
4:47 Second Stage Cutoff (SECO-1)
5:14 Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Deployment
5:43 Post-Deployment Wrap-Up

Video Credits:
Producer: Stephen Beacham

#nasa #spacex #space #spaceexploration #romanspacetelescope #astronomy #spacenews #hubble #observation