Move, Inc. filed new documentation this week revealing the author of an anonymous letter alleging unlawful conduct by Zillow Group Chief Industry Development Officer Errol Samuelson, former chief strategy officer of Move and president of realtor.comĀ®.
The April 16 filing contains a copy of a private Zillow document naming Chris Crocker, former vice president of strategic partnerships at Zillow, as likely the anonymous āwhistleblowerā who sent the letter to Move just two days prior to his last day with the company. Crocker was advised of his termination from Zillow earlier this year.
āMr. Crocker was one of only a few individuals with knowledge of some of the information contained in the letter,ā Zillowās court documents show. Notably, the letter bore Crockerās signature closing, āGood hunting.ā
“We have not publicly identified the author of the letter,” Zillow said in an emailed statement to RISMedia. A representative for Move declined to offer further details on the case.
In the letter, Crocker corroborates Samuelsonās alleged use of stolen databases and documents hidden outside of Zillowās electronic services. The letter also indicates Samuelson, who was barred from engaging in Zillow initiatives with an injunction last July, was in fact working while under court order.
Additionally, the letter points to Zillow Vice President of Industry Development Curt Beardsley, former vice president of product marketing for Move, stating Beardsley harbors copies of Moveās private MLS database and others in off-network storage to keep the information off his work computer.
The ongoing legal tussle stretches back to March 2014, when Move and the National Association of REALTORSĀ® filed a lawsuit against Zillow and Samuelson for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and misappropriation of trade secrets, among other actions. Move filed another lawsuit against Beardsley in December alleging breach of contract and other Corporations Code violations.
Stay tuned to RISMedia for continuing updates.