Thomson, a Canadian financial information services company, has
been sued by rival Boston-based company CCBN, alleging that Thomson
used confidential information from CCBN board meetings and
confidential web sites to compete against the firm.
In the complaint, filed in Boston federal court, CCBN also
accused Thomson of unfair trade and business practices,
misrepresentation, breach of contract and monopolisation in
violation of the US Sherman Antitrust Act.
According to CCBN, Thomson and its subsidiary, Thomson
Financial, used its position as a 10% CCBN shareholder to copy the
business plans and to access the confidential information, in order
to enter the business areas of its competitor.
CCBN also accuses Thomson of stealing information “by breaking
into password-protected [web] sites”.
Thomson denied the allegations in a statement issued yesterday
afternoon.
