Crypto-Fueled Espionage: Deel Accused of Spying on Rival Using €5,000 in Ethereum

In the high-stakes world of tech startups, competition is fierce — but this time, it may have gone too far. Global payroll giant Deel allegedly paid €5,000 in cryptocurrency to a whistleblower who spied on rival firm Rippling from the inside.

🕵️‍♂️ “James Bond-style” Espionage Plot Keith O’Brien, an Irish citizen and former employee at Rippling, admitted that while working for the company, he secretly funneled internal data to Deel. The alleged plot began during a meeting where Deel CEO Alex Bouaziz referenced James Bond and offered O’Brien €5,000 for insight into how Rippling operated. After receiving the first payment, O’Brien claims that Alex’s father, Deel CFO Philippe Bouaziz, suggested future payments be made via cryptocurrency because it “leaves no trace.” O’Brien says he was paid in Ethereum to his blockchain.com wallet, later converting it to fiat due to market volatility.

🗂️ Leaked Internal Documents and Competitive Strategies During his covert mission, O’Brien reportedly gained access to confidential files, including product roadmaps and internal strategies positioning Rippling as a better alternative to Deel. Eventually, the plan unraveled. O’Brien received a court order and suspected Rippling had set a trap. Deel allegedly encouraged him to publicly claim that Rippling had facilitated sanctioned payments to Russia — a claim he now regrets. “I realized I was hurting myself and my family to protect Deel,” O’Brien declared in a sworn affidavit submitted to Ireland’s High Court.

🤝 From Job Applicant to Covert Operative Interestingly, O’Brien had previously applied for a job at Deel — unsuccessfully. He stayed in touch with CEO Bouaziz and informed him of his plans to leave Rippling. That’s when he was allegedly recruited to become a “spy.”

⚖️ Deel Faces Major Lawsuit The scandal exploded in March 2025 when Rippling filed a lawsuit against Deel, accusing the company of misappropriation of trade secrets, racketeering, and unlawful interference in business. While Deel has yet to comment publicly, court documents and O’Brien’s testimony now offer a dramatic glimpse into what may be one of the tech world’s boldest cases of corporate espionage.

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