An Irish judge on Friday granted Keith O’Brien, the admitted corporate spy at the center of an ongoing legal battle between HR tech rivals Rippling and Deel, a restraining order against unidentified men whom he says have been stalking him. In court filings, O’Brien described several incidents involving men following him closely in vehicles and surveilling his home, leaving both him and his family deeply anxious and fearing for their safety.
O’Brien originally attracted public attention in April when he confessed to spying on Rippling for competitor Deel, claiming he was paid €5,000 monthly to collect sensitive company information about products and clients. Rippling had uncovered O’Brien’s espionage activities after creating a fake Slack channel as a trap. According to his confession filed with the court, O’Brien attempted to destroy evidence by first pretending to flush his phone down the toilet at Rippling’s office, and then later actually dismantled it, scattering parts down a drain at his mother-in-law’s residence.
Now serving as the star witness for Rippling, which is covering his legal expenses, O’Brien has found himself squarely in the middle of the tense legal battle between the two HR software firms, which are engaged in mutual accusations of espionage and countersuits. Deel denies any direct knowledge or involvement with the men allegedly stalking O’Brien.
In his latest testimony, O’Brien detailed how he attempted to evade surveillance by making sudden turns and selecting obscure routes home, only to repeatedly encounter the same suspicious vehicles, including notably a black SUV driven by a heavy-set man, at times accompanied by a large dog. He has hired a security consultant to protect his family and search his vehicle for tracking devices. Authorities have yet to find evidence confirming Deel’s link to these incidents.
O’Brien alleges that the situation is causing significant psychological and emotional distress to himself and his wife, affecting their sleep and disrupting daily life. In granting the injunction, the overseeing judge noted ironically that the unfolding events resembled “a 1970s cops-and-robbers TV show.”
Regardless of how the litigation between Deel and Rippling ultimately unfolds, it is clear from O’Brien’s testimony that his role as a corporate spy has exacted a heavy toll, transforming his daily life into one dominated by anxiety, fear, and suspicion.
