Hayden AI Sues Former CEO for Allegedly Stealing 41GB of Company Data and Fabricating Credentials
Key Takeaways
- ▸Hayden AI sued former CEO Chris Carson for allegedly stealing 41GB of proprietary company data before his September 2024 termination
- ▸The lawsuit accuses Carson of selling over $1.2 million in unauthorized company stock to fund personal luxury purchases including a Florida mansion and gold Bentley
- ▸Carson allegedly fabricated his professional credentials, including falsely claiming a PhD from Waseda University when he was running a paintball business
Summary
San Francisco-based AI startup Hayden AI has filed a lawsuit against its co-founder and former CEO Chris Carson, alleging he stole 41GB of proprietary email data in the days before his termination in September 2024. The complaint, filed in San Francisco Superior Court, accuses Carson of multiple fraudulent activities including forging board signatures, unauthorized stock sales exceeding $1.2 million to fund personal luxury purchases, and extensive falsification of his professional credentials. Hayden AI, valued at approximately $464 million, claims Carson requested an employee download his entire email archive to a USB drive in August 2024, just before founding a competing company called EchoTwin AI.
The lawsuit details that Carson allegedly sold over $1.2 million in company stock without board approval to purchase a multimillion-dollar home in Boca Raton, Florida, and luxury items including a gold Bentley Continental. The company initiated a formal investigation into Carson's conduct in July 2024, leading to his termination on September 10, 2024. Just days before his firing, Carson registered the echotwin.ai domain name for what he described as a company founded "as a direct response to the retaliation" he experienced from Hayden's board.
Beyond the alleged data theft and financial misconduct, Hayden AI's complaint claims Carson fabricated significant portions of his resume, including his educational background and work history. The lawsuit alleges Carson falsely claimed to hold a doctorate from Waseda University in Tokyo obtained in 2007, when he was actually running a paintball equipment business in Florida. The company is seeking preliminary injunctive relief requiring Carson to return or destroy the allegedly stolen data. Carson has not responded to requests for comment, and EchoTwin AI's Oakland office was reportedly unstaffed during business hours when visited by reporters.
- Carson founded competing company EchoTwin AI shortly after his termination, allegedly using stolen proprietary information
- Hayden AI is seeking court orders requiring Carson to return or destroy the allegedly stolen data
