https://www.cnbc.com/2023/06/07/wilson-aerospace-sues-boeing-over-allegedly-stole-ip-for-nasa-projects.html Skip Navigation logo * watchlive logo Markets * Pre-Markets * U.S. Markets * Currencies * Cryptocurrency * Futures & Commodities * Bonds * Funds & ETFs Business * Economy * Finance * Health & Science * Media * Real Estate * Energy * Climate * Transportation * Industrials * Retail * Wealth * Life * Small Business Investing * Personal Finance * Fintech * Financial Advisors * Options Action * ETF Street * Buffett Archive * Earnings * Trader Talk Tech * Cybersecurity * Enterprise * Internet * Media * Mobile * Social Media * CNBC Disruptor 50 * Tech Guide Politics * White House * Policy * Defense * Congress * Equity and Opportunity CNBC TV * Live TV * Live Audio * Business Day Shows * Entertainment Shows * Full Episodes * Latest Video * Top Video * CEO Interviews * CNBC Documentaries * CNBC Podcasts * CNBC World * Digital Originals * Live TV Schedule Watchlist Investing Club * Trust Portfolio * Analysis * Trade Alerts * Meeting Videos * Homestretch * Jim's Columns * Education PRO * Pro News * Pro Live * Market Forecast * Subscribe * Sign In Menu * Make It * select + ALL SELECT + Credit Cards + Loans + Banking + Mortgages + Insurance + Credit Monitoring + Personal Finance + Small Business + Taxes + Help for Low Credit Scores + Investing + SELECT + All Credit Cards + Find the Credit Card for You + Best Credit Cards + Best Rewards Credit Cards + Best Travel Credit Cards + Best 0% APR Credit Cards + Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards + Best Cash Back Credit Cards + Best Credit Card Welcome Bonuses + Best Credit Cards to Build Credit + SELECT + All Loans + Find the Best Personal Loan for You + Best Personal Loans + Best Debt Consolidation Loans + Best Loans to Refinance Credit Card Debt + Best Loans with Fast Funding + Best Small Personal Loans + Best Large Personal Loans + Best Personal Loans to Apply Online + Best Student Loan Refinance + SELECT + All Banking + Find the Savings Account for You + Best High Yield Savings Accounts + Best Big Bank Savings Accounts + Best Big Bank Checking Accounts + Best No Fee Checking Accounts + No Overdraft Fee Checking Accounts + Best Checking Account Bonuses + Best Money Market Accounts + Best CDs + Best Credit Unions + SELECT + All Mortgages + Best Mortgages + Best Mortgages for Small Down Payment + Best Mortgages for No Down Payment + Best Mortgages with No Origination Fee + Best Mortgages for Average Credit Score + Adjustable Rate Mortgages + Affording a Mortgage + SELECT + All Insurance + Best Life Insurance + Best Homeowners Insurance + Best Renters Insurance + Best Car Insurance + Travel Insurance + SELECT + All Credit Monitoring + Best Credit Monitoring Services + Best Identity Theft Protection + How to Boost Your Credit Score + Credit Repair Services + SELECT + All Personal Finance + Best Budgeting Apps + Best Expense Tracker Apps + Best Money Transfer Apps + Best Resale Apps and Sites + Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) Apps + Best Debt Relief + SELECT + All Small Business + Best Small Business Savings Accounts + Best Small Business Checking Accounts + Best Credit Cards for Small Business + Best Small Business Loans + Best Tax Software for Small Business + SELECT + All Taxes + Best Tax Software + Best Tax Software for Small Businesses + Tax Refunds + SELECT + All Help for Low Credit Scores + Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit + Best Personal Loans for Bad Credit + Best Debt Consolidation Loans for Bad Credit + Personal Loans if You Don't Have Credit + Best Credit Cards for Building Credit + Personal Loans for 580 Credit Score or Lower + Personal Loans for 670 Credit Score or Lower + Best Mortgages for Bad Credit + Best Hardship Loans + How to Boost Your Credit Score + SELECT + All Investing + Best IRA Accounts + Best Roth IRA Accounts + Best Investing Apps + Best Free Stock Trading Platforms + Best Robo-Advisors + Index Funds + Mutual Funds + ETFs + Bonds * USA * INTL * watchlive Search quotes, news & videos Watchlist SIGN IN Create free account logo Markets Business Investing Tech Politics CNBC TV Watchlist Investing Club PRO Menu Space Boeing sued over alleged theft of IP, counterfeiting of tools used on NASA projects Published Wed, Jun 7 20231:00 PM EDTUpdated Moments Ago thumbnail Michael Sheetz@in/michaeljsheetz@thesheetztweetz WATCH LIVE Key Points * Wilson Aerospace, a family-run tools company based in Colorado, is suing Boeing for a wide range of claims concerning allegedly stolen intellectual property. * The complaint alleges that Wilson's tools were used for NASA projects including the International Space Station and its Space Launch Systems rocket, and that counterfeit Boeing versions led to leaks that "put lives at risk." * A Boeing spokesperson said in a statement to CNBC that Wilson's "lawsuit is rife with inaccuracies and omissions." In this article * BA Follow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNT The Artemis 1 mission Space Launch System (SLS) rocket Frank Michaux / NASA Wilson Aerospace, a small family-run tools company based in Colorado, is suing Boeing for a wide range of claims concerning allegedly stolen intellectual property over the last two decades. The company's lawsuit centers around multiple custom-designed tools that Wilson says it created for Boeing. Boeing, in turn, "rewarded Wilson's efforts by brazenly stealing" the IP related to multiple devices, the complaint says. Wilson filed suit in a Washington federal court Wednesday. related investing news Copycats are coming for JPMorgan's high-yield ETFs. Here's what's next for the popular funds CNBC Pro Copycats are coming for JPMorgan's high-yield ETFs. Here's what's next for the popular funds Jesse Pound a day ago The scope of the damages is "hard to quantify," according to one of the company's lawyers, Pete Flowers. Still, Boeing's actions have hurt Wilson to the tune of "hundreds of millions of dollars," he told CNBC. Wilson's complaint alleges that its tools -- used for NASA projects including the International Space Station and its Space Launch Systems moon rocket -- helped Boeing win billions in contract awards and fees from the government. Wilson also alleges that the counterfeit version of the tools that Boeing made led to leaks on the ISS and the SLS -- and "put lives at risk," including the lives of astronauts. The company brought 10 claims against Boeing, including claims of copyright infringement, misappropriation and theft of trade secrets, and fraud. In a statement to CNBC, a Boeing spokesperson said that Wilson's "lawsuit is rife with inaccuracies and omissions," but declined to share specifics when asked. "We will vigorously defend against this in court," Boeing said. Sign up here to receive weekly editions of CNBC's Investing in Space newsletter. Led by David Wilson, who founded the eponymous firm in 1999, the Colorado-based company invents specialty aerospace tools such as its "Fluid Fitting Torque Device," or FFTD, used for tightening and loosening fittings such as those in "cramped, difficult to access areas on spacecraft." Wilson developed variations of FFTD, as well as other tools and assemblies, for use on the ISS, the Space Shuttle-era experimental module SPACEHAB, as well as Boeing's Starliner capsule and Dreamliner aircraft. Central to the lawsuit is work done by Wilson for Boeing from 2014 to 2016 to use an FFTD product to solve an issue attaching the rocket's engines to SLS "with the precise amount of torque." Wilson alleges the aerospace giant downloaded proprietary information, cut off communications with the company, and built "counterfeit" variations that Boeing passed on as its own to NASA. "Although Boeing paid Wilson for some of its work over the years, Boeing's primary approach was to steal Wilson's intellectual property through deception and other illegal means, rather than to compensate," the complaint alleges. Additionally, the alleged theft resulted in mismatched components and "inferior products." According to the complaint, "the mismatched tools have caused some fluid leaks that have continually delayed the SLS launch, costing NASA hundreds of millions of dollars while unjustly enriching Boeing." The 74-page complaint cites correspondence with multiple Boeing employees, including one who emailed in September 2020 that Boeing misused Wilson's IP and created "a safety concern for on-orbit hardware." Among those allegedly counterfeit tools, another of Wilson's lawyers, Lance Astrella, told CNBC that an earlier variation of FFTD is believed to be stuck on the ISS after becoming trapped due to Boeing using incorrect calibration data after copying the tool. Wilson pointed to prior litigation as examples of "a broader pattern of criminal behavior by Boeing," such as theft of Lockheed Martin trade secrets in 2006. "We fully believe that there are other companies, probably small American-owned companies, that have been affected by this same activity inside Boeing," Wilson lawyer Flowers told CNBC. Read the full copy of Wilson's complaint below: logo * Subscribe to CNBC PRO * Licensing & Reprints * CNBC Councils * Select Personal Finance * CNBC on Peacock * Join the CNBC Panel * Supply Chain Values * Select Shopping * Closed Captioning * Digital Products * News Releases * Internships * Corrections * About CNBC * Ad Choices * Site Map * Podcasts * Careers * Help * Contact * * * * * * * News Tips Got a confidential news tip? We want to hear from you. 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