US: Judge probes Uber over allegations of fraud in antitrust case

Uber must hand over documents to a New York judge probing whether private investigators hired by the ride-hailing company fraudulently sought information about its opponents in an antitrust case, according to a court ruling.

US District Judge Jed Rakoff is seeking to determine whether Uber instructed an investigator to lie in order to elicit information about Spencer Meyer, lead plaintiff in the antitrust lawsuit, and his attorney.

The suit, filed in December, alleges that Uber chief executive Travis Kalanick engaged in a price-fixing scheme with Uber drivers. The proposed class action names Kalanick and not the ride-hailing company, though Uber is seeking to intervene in the lawsuit.

In one instance, an investigator hired by Uber allegedly called Meyer’s attorney’s professional colleagues and “falsely stated that he was compiling a profile of up-and-coming labour lawyers in the United States,” Rakoff wrote.

When confronted about the investigator’s calls, attorneys for Kalanick initially denied that the company was involved with them, according to court documents.

Full Content: Digital Trends

Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.