Apple Sued Over Trade Secrets Theft

Apple Lawsuit

The Bitter Core: How Apple Got Sued Over Its Own Seeds

— A True Crime Story of Corporate Espionage, Betrayal, and the Lawsuit That Almost Rotted Apple From the Inside —

Prologue: A Rotten Deal

In 2019, Apple Inc., the world’s most valuable company, found itself in a legal battle that read like a corporate thriller—one involving secret deals, backstabbing, and a betrayal that threatened to expose the dark underbelly of Silicon Valley’s most polished empire.

This wasn’t about iPhones or MacBooks. This was about seeds.

Act 1: The Startup That Apple Loved Too Much

In 2015, a small but ambitious chip startup named Rivos was quietly making waves in Silicon Valley. Founded by former engineers from Intel, Google, and—crucially—Apple, Rivos was developing next-generation processors that could rival Apple’s own silicon.

But Apple had a problem.

Despite its fortress-like secrecy, key engineers were jumping ship to Rivos—and taking trade secrets with them.

Act 2: The Mole Inside Apple

In 2021, Apple’s suspicions were confirmed. Bhasi Kaithamattam, a senior engineer working on Apple’s proprietary A-series and M-series chips, had allegedly stolen thousands of files—blueprints, source code, even unreleased product designs—before leaving to join Rivos.

But Kaithamattam wasn’t acting alone.

Apple’s internal investigation revealed a coordinated exodus—at least 40 former employees had joined Rivos, many with direct knowledge of Apple’s most guarded tech. Worse? Some had allegedly wiped their work devices before leaving, a classic move in corporate espionage.

Act 3: The Lawsuit That Rocked Silicon Valley

In February 2022, Apple sued Rivos, accusing the startup of systematically poaching talent to steal trade secrets. The lawsuit read like a spy novel:

Deleted messages (employees using encrypted apps to discuss job moves).

Hidden files (engineers allegedly storing Apple IP on personal drives).

A secret 'shadow team' inside Rivos working to reverse-engineer Apple’s chips.

Rivos fired back, claiming Apple was bullying competitors and stifling innovation. But the evidence was damning—one engineer had even copied Apple’s entire chip design database before quitting.

Act 4: The Fallout

By 2023, the case took a shocking turn: Apple settled.

Why? Because if the lawsuit went to trial, Apple’s own secrets might have been exposed in court. The very thing they were trying to protect could have been laid bare for competitors—and the world—to see.

Rivos survived, but the damage was done. The case became a cautionary tale: No company, not even Apple, is immune to betrayal from within.

Epilogue: The Seeds of Distrust

Today, Apple enforces even stricter non-compete and secrecy protocols. But in Silicon Valley, where talent is currency and innovation is power, the next corporate heist is always just one defection away.

And somewhere in Cupertino, Apple’s lawyers are watching. Waiting for the next betrayal.

Case Closed?
For now. But in the cutthroat world of tech, the next lawsuit is already brewing.

🔎 Want more true crime tech stories? Let me know what scandal to dig into next.

Apple Sued Over Trade Secrets Theft

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