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Joby Sues Archer, Alleges Ex-Employee Stole Files to Undercut Partner Deal

The filing seeks monetary damages plus an injunction with a hearing scheduled for March 20, 2026.

Overview

  • Joby’s state-court complaint alleges former policy lead George Kivork downloaded company files, emailed materials to a personal account, and altered permissions to retain access before joining Archer.
  • The suit claims Archer leveraged confidential terms from Joby’s exclusive agreement with a real-estate developer to propose a more lucrative offer, prompting the developer to pursue termination citing a confidentiality breach.
  • Archer denies wrongdoing, calling the case meritless and saying the complaint identifies no specific trade secrets or evidence of misappropriation.
  • Archer further told Khaleej Times it has no deal with the developer at issue and said Kivork did not bring Joby confidential information to the company.
  • Joby seeks unspecified damages and an order barring use of its information, and the dispute unfolds as both companies push toward eVTOL certification and expand defense and infrastructure partnerships; Archer previously settled a trade-secret case with Wisk in 2023.