Google sued for $1B on IP theft allegations

In a nearly $1 billion lawsuit, Google is being charged by Chicago start-up LimitNone with misappropriating trade secrets in developing "Google Email Uploader."

The suit alleges that Google copied LimitNone's "gMove" e-mail and calendar migration tool and then used the design to augment Google Apps.

"Google claims its core philosophy is 'Don't be evil' but, simply put, they invited us to work with them, to trust them -- and then stole our technology," said LimitNone's CEO, Ray Glassmann, in a prepared statement.

"It's shocking that Google would engage in this type of conduct; particularly when the other party is a small software company that built its business specifically to help Google sell its existing and future products. People need to realize that Google is just another large publicly traded corporation that will do whatever it takes to increase its revenue, even if that means risking its reputation among developers."

The lawsuit over the e-mail tool was filed on LimitNone's behalf by Kelley Drye & Warren LLP, a commercial litigation group which has also brought legal challenges against Google over its online advertising.

Seeking up to $950 million in compensation for lost revenue, the lawsuit also alleges that Google violated Illinois' consumer fraud laws in producing "Google Email Uploader."