A CPA with offices in Fleming Island filed a federal lawsuit against a competitor, alleging theft of trade secrets, fraud, misrepresentation and unauthorized access to servers and computers.
Susan Carter CPA PA v. Greg Homesley, Cody Homesley and Kim Homesley was filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida in Jacksonville.
Lubbock, Texas-based Greg Homesley CPA PC Inc. did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Greg and Kimberly Homesley are husband and wife; Cody Homesley is their son-in-law, according to the lawsuit.
The firm is licensed in Florida and has an office in Orange Park.
The lawsuit charges that the Homesleys misappropriated Carter's trade secrets such as passwords and logins as well as confidential client and financial information, that they secured unlawful access to and use of Carter's computers and servers and that they misappropriated Carter's email, web domain and software accounts.
According to the complaint, during the week of May 20, the defendants secretly acquired the access credentials to Carter's email Accounts and domain name.
They then, without Carter's knowledge or permission, contacted Carter's IT provider, Bluefin Technology Group, and intentionally mislead Bluefin to furnish them with Carter's logins, passwords and credentials. Bluefin granted the defendants’ request and provided them with the necessary accessor or login information, which allowed them access and control of Carter's website and email accounts.
They also used the access to reset passwords and login credentials on Carter's emails and software accounts, according to the complaint.
The action is based on the Federal Computer Fraud and Abuses Act, the Federal Stored Communications Act and the state Uniform Trade Secrets Act.
Carter asks the court to order the defendants to cease using her information and trade secrets and to award compensation for damages.
Carter is represented by attorney Richard Vermut of Driver, McAfee, Hawthorne & Diebenow in Jacksonville.