IAC Accuses Sean Rad of Paying Tinder Co-Founders for Testimony

In the latest twist to the Tinder founders’ lawsuit, Match Group’s parent IAC has accused Sean Rad of paying his fellow co-founders for testimony and allegiance.

According to a court transcript, IAC said that Rad promised “enormous payments” in the range of “millions of dollars” to those who supported him. Specifically, he is said to have sent funds to Rosette Pambakian and James Kim.

Pambakian and Kim have both brought cases against then-Tinder CEO Gregg Blatt. The former claims sexual harassment, while the latter claims Blatt pressured him into lying to banks. IAC say these legal actions were linked to payments made by Rad.

The defence say that the payments were made as compensation after the pair lost their jobs at the dating app. The dismissals, their argument suggests, were linked to their involvement with the lawsuit.

Orin Snyder, Rad’s lawyer, said in a statement to Bloomberg: “After Tinder employees sued, IAC/Match retaliated by firing them and stripping away their hard-earned equity.

“The accusation that any payments were made in exchange for witness testimony is nonsense.”

The founders’ lawsuit survived a recent motion to dismiss in New York. Judge Saliann Scarpulla scrapped some of the group’s claims, but ruled that Rad, Gareth Johnson, Ryan Ogle and Paul Cafardo can continue to seek punitive damages and benefits.

The Los Angeles Times reported this week that Rad is selling his $9.75 million home in the Hollywood Hills. 

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