A disgruntled Apple shareholder has filed a lawsuit against the firm’s deceased founder Steve Jobs.
The class-action lawsuit filed by R. Andre Klein on behalf of all Apple shareholders claims the company misled investors and damaged its own value by striking a hiring agreement with its rival corporations.
More specifically, the complaint alleges that Apple entered into illegal secretive agreements with numerous other companies (those mentioned include Google and Intel) to not recruit employees away from each other and drive down employee wages.
Klein made specific reference to Jobs’ “zealous pursuit of profits” in the papers.
“Jobs’s conduct is a reminder that even widely respected businessmen can knowingly commit unlawful acts in the zealous pursuit of profits.
“In this case, Jobs and the other individual defendants knowingly caused Apple to enter into agreements that violated California law and US antitrust laws.”
The lawsuit also mentions current Apple CEO Tim Cook as a defendant. Cook took over the reins of the tech giant following Steve Jobs’ death in 2011.
This isn’t the first time Apple has come under fire for its controversial hiring agreements.
Earlier this year, the company settled a lawsuit to the sum of $325 mn ( £195 mn) over the alleged hiring agreement. This week, however, a US judge rejected the settlement saying it fell short of “reasonableness”.
Klein is demanding an unspecified amount from Apple for damages to shareholders as a result of the agreements.
