## Rippling Intensifies Legal Battle with Deel, Subpoenas Revolut for “Spy” Payment Information
The ongoing legal clash between HR tech companies Rippling and Deel has taken a dramatic turn, drawing in UK fintech giant Revolut. Rippling is seeking to uncover the identity of an individual who allegedly paid a Rippling employee to spy on the company for Deel.
The crux of the issue lies in an affidavit from Keith O’Brien, an Irish Rippling employee, who claims he was paid approximately $6,000 per month by Deel to gather intelligence. O’Brien stated that the initial payment was routed through his Revolut account, with the sender listed as “Alba Basha.” According to O’Brien, this Alba Basha is Alba Basha Westgarth, the wife of Deel’s COO, Dan Westgarth.
Adding another layer of intrigue, Alba Basha Westgarth previously held the position of crypto compliance lead at Robinhood, according to a LinkedIn profile that has since been deleted. Robinhood confirmed her departure earlier this year but declined to provide a reason. Furthermore, the deleted profile listed her location as Dubai, the same location where Deel’s CEO and legal director are currently based, complicating Rippling’s efforts to serve them papers. Dubai is notably known for its lack of extradition treaties.
Rippling has now filed a lawsuit against Revolut, aiming to compel the fintech company to disclose the full name and address associated with the “Alba Basha” account that sent the $6,000 payment. They are also requesting all account opening documentation, including identification and utility bills, to definitively confirm her identity.
Revolut has responded by hiring legal counsel in Ireland and providing Rippling with a letter described by Rippling’s legal team as “helpful but complicated.” While there are no accusations of wrongdoing against Revolut, the case highlights the complexities of complying with data requests under stringent EU privacy laws. Disclosing customer information requires either a court order from the Irish court or the customer’s explicit consent.
Revolut issued a statement confirming its commitment to complying with legitimate court orders for disclosure but did not comment directly on the Rippling case. As the legal battle unfolds, the question remains whether Revolut will be compelled to provide the requested information. Customer consent appears unlikely in this scenario.
Deel, which has consistently denied any involvement in espionage, has not responded to requests for comment. Neither Deel COO Dan Westgarth nor Alba Basha Westgarth have issued statements. Rippling has also declined to comment.
Despite the lack of definitive proof, a judge in the Irish High Court hinted that Rippling’s request to verify Alba Basha’s identity might be honored. This came after Rippling’s lawyer presented evidence linking Alba Basha to Dan Westgarth, including a Facebook photo of the pair. The judge acknowledged that the connection “could be a coincidence, but it’s unlikely!” The Rippling-Deel legal saga continues to develop, with Revolut now caught in the crossfire.