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Tesla Accused in Suit of Firing Worker to Cover Up Copper Theft
- Millions of dollars worth of copper stolen, according to suit
- Musk allegedly tried to keep information from shareholders
The entrance to Tesla’s Gigafactory in McCarran, Nevada.
Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg
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A former employee of Tesla Inc.’s massive battery plant outside of Reno, Nevada, claims in a lawsuit that he was fired from his $18,000-a-month job because the company, and Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk, wanted to cover up rampant theft of copper wire at the site.
Lynn Thompson said in the complaint that he noticed millions of dollars worth of copper wire being measured and cut, put on pallets and hauled off site. He said that on multiple occasions, starting in April 2018, he reported the theft of the copper wire to Tesla’s senior management, including Musk, and contractor ONQ Global.