Newspaper sues Ridder, alleging he took secrets to rival Star Tribune
The St. Paul Pioneer Press sued its former publisher Thursday, accusing Par Ridder and others of stealing sensitive information as they left for new jobs at the rival Star Tribune newspaper in Minneapolis.
The sweeping 46-page lawsuit takes aim at the Star Tribune and its new owner, Avista Capital Partners, as well as Ridder and two other former Pioneer Press employees who
left the paper with him. It claims, among other things, Ridder committed fraud and civil theft, and disclosed trade secrets.The suit details a tawdry end to the Ridder family's nearly 80-year involvement with the Pioneer Press.
Ridder plotted his move to the Star Tribune nearly six months before his departure in early March and took with him computer files loaded with confidential data about Pioneer Press advertisers, company budgets and business plans, the lawsuit alleges. The information was stored on his Pioneer Press laptop, which he returned only after downloading its contents, according to the lawsuit.
"Those misdeeds have inflicted and will continue to inflict substantial harm on the business of the Pioneer Press, and that harm will have a devastating impact on the company if left unabated," the lawsuit claims.
The lawsuit, filed in Ramsey County District Court in St. Paul:
+ Asks that Ridder and the two other former Pioneer Press employees not be allowed to work at the Star Tribune for a year.
+ Claims all three are violating non-compete clauses that they had at the Pioneer Press.
Click on the headline to read the full story in the Pioneer Press.
Runs in the family.
ReplyDelete