Fitbit under criminal probe for trade secrets theft: Jawbone

New York

JAWBONE Inc isn't backing down in its legal fight with Fitbit Inc, asserting in a court filing that its rival is under investigation by a criminal grand jury for theft of trade secrets.

The two pioneers in wearable activity trackers have been embroiled in legal battles since May 2015, when Jawbone accused Fitbit in a lawsuit of plundering employees and critical proprietary information.

Fitbit is trying to get the suit thrown out, arguing the trade secret claims were already analysed and rejected by the US International Trade Commission in Washington in October. Jawbone said that the agency looked only at a limited number of allegations against Fitbit and had no authority to consider claims against the former employees who are also defendants in the suit. Jawbone cited the criminal investigation in…