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Now Wantickets sues Eventbrite

The ticket agency has followed its suit against ex-execs Barak Schurr and Diego Carlin with one targeting their new employer, which "actively encouraged … disloyal acts"

By Jon Chapple on 23 Nov 2016

Barak Schurr, Wantickets, Eventbrite

image © Barak Schurr/Eventbrite

Wantickets has expanded its legal fight against its former CEO and president to include their new employer, Eventbrite.

The company, one of North America’s largest EDM ticket agencies, in September initiated legal action against ex-CEO Diego Carlin and ex-president Barak Schurr for allegedly transferring business to rival Eventbrite while still employed by Wantickets.

In a claim denied by Schurr (pictured) and Carlin, Wantickets CFO Richard Blakeley accused the two men of “doing work for, and sending clients to, Eventbrite – all while being employed and paid by Wantickets.”

Now, in a separate lawsuit (Wantickets RDM, Inc. vs Eventbrite, Inc.), Wantickets’ lawyers have levelled similar allegations at Eventbrite, accusing the company of “having actively encouraged and participated in a series of disloyal acts” by the two former executives and being “eager to take advantage of the[ir] disloyalty”.

“Eventbrite was eager to take advantage of the disloyalty of Mr Schurr and Mr Carlin”

In Wantickets’ initial complaint, which has yet to be responded to by Shirley Wener Kornreich (the same judge presiding over its sister lawsuit), Steptoe & Johnson’s Charles Michael writes: “Eventbrite was eager to take advantage of the disloyalty of Mr Schurr and Mr Carlin. Eventbrite pitched itself to potential clients via the introductions from Mr Schurr and/or Mr Carlin, knowing that Mr Schurr and Mr Carlin were still employees of Wantickets and that Mr Schurr’s and Mr Carlin’s diversion of business violated their duties to Wantickets.”

Michael further alleges the defendant “even paid for Mr Schurr to take a business trip to Ibiza, Spain, so that he could develop business for Eventbrite”.

“Competing fairly is of critical importance and central to our ethics at Eventbrite. We maintain that we have not engaged in any wrongdoing or inappropriate conduct”

As in the previous case, Wantickets seeks “damages in an amount to be proven at trial”, as well as “such other and further relief as the court may deem appropriate”.

Carlin and Schurr joined Eventbrite in July.

Reached for comment, an Eventbrite spokesman tells IQ: “It’s a competitive industry, and competing fairly is of critical importance and central to our ethics at Eventbrite. We maintain that we have not engaged in any wrongdoing or inappropriate conduct. We dispute Wantickets’ allegations and intend to defend our position.”

 


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