---
title: "Reports of a US criminal investigation"
language: en
canonical: https://dossiertwist.com/dossiers/deel/criminal-investigation-reports/
as_of: 2026-10-13
keywords: ["Deel","Deel, Inc.","Lifeslice, Inc.","Alex Bouaziz","Philippe Bouaziz","Shuo Wang","Dan Westgarth","Rippling","People Center, Inc.","Keith O'Brien","Lets Deel Ltd","Atlantic Money","Deel Payments Europe","DPayments","Omnipresent","Sarona Ventures","Prodware","Andreessen Horowitz","employer of record","Rippling v. Deel"]
---

# Reports of a US criminal investigation

**Question.** Is Deel under criminal investigation over the Rippling allegations?

**Answer.** A technology news outlet reported in June 2025, citing a source, that federal prosecutors were looking into the allegations against Deel, and in January 2026 a newspaper reported that the Justice Department had opened a criminal investigation, with grand-jury subpoenas issued by the US attorney for the Northern District of California. Deel said it was not aware of any investigation. No charging document or official statement is retained and no charges are reported in the record.

## What has been reported

- Analysis: In June 2025 a technology news outlet reported, citing a source familiar with the case, that federal prosecutors were looking into the allegations against Deel. In January 2026 a newspaper reported, as relayed by a technology news outlet and a technology news outlet, that the Justice Department had opened a criminal investigation into allegations that Deel recruited a spy inside Rippling, with grand-jury subpoenas sent in recent weeks by Craig Missakian, the US attorney for the Northern District of California. These are press reports; no charging document or official statement is retained, and no charges are reported in the record. [src-024] [src-046] [src-057]
- Attributed: A technology news outlet reported in June 2025, citing a source familiar with the case, that federal prosecutors were looking into the allegations against Deel. In January 2026 a newspaper reported, as relayed by a technology news outlet and a technology news outlet, that the US Justice Department had opened a criminal investigation into allegations that Deel recruited a spy inside Rippling, with grand-jury subpoenas sent in recent weeks by Craig Missakian, the US attorney for the Northern District of California. [src-024] [src-046] [src-057]
  - Qualification: Press reports citing the Journal; no charging document or official statement is retained, and no charges are reported in the record.
  - Response: In June 2025 a Deel spokesperson said Deel was not aware of any active investigations into its business and that Rippling had a history of making false or sensationalised allegations to authorities that prompted government inquiries. In January 2026 a Deel spokeswoman said: "We are not aware of any criminal investigation. We will always cooperate with the relevant authorities and provide any necessary information in response to valid inquiries." She added that Deel's Delaware lawsuit described what Deel called Rippling's years-long smear campaign and that many of Rippling's claims had been overturned or dismissed, including a civil claim in Florida.
- Analysis: In June 2025 a Deel spokesperson said Deel was not aware of any active investigations into its business and that Rippling had a history of making false or sensationalised allegations to authorities that prompted government inquiries. In January 2026 a Deel spokeswoman said: "We are not aware of any criminal investigation. We will always cooperate with the relevant authorities and provide any necessary information in response to valid inquiries." She added that Deel's Delaware lawsuit described what Deel called Rippling's years-long smear campaign and that many of Rippling's claims had been overturned or dismissed, including a civil claim in Florida. [src-024] [src-046] [src-057]

## Effect on listing plans

- Analysis: A news outlet wrote in July 2026 that a federal criminal investigation, together with the espionage allegations, would require Deel to disclose significant legal risks ahead of a planned listing, and reported, citing unnamed market reports, that Deel shares had traded on secondary markets at a discount of about 17% to the company's official valuation; no trading data is retained. Both are the newspaper's assessments, and no charges are reported. In the same interview Alex Bouaziz said he could not say much about ongoing litigation and described legal disputes as something that happens when competitors want to hurt each other. [src-063]

## Sources

- [src-024] Media source · src-024
- [src-046] Media source · src-046
- [src-057] Media source · src-057
- [src-063] Media source · src-063