TIG Wins $2.38M Judgment In Suit Vs. Another Solution Provider

The judgment, which came late last month, capped off a nine-year defamation and business interference suit that TIG, a $300 million San Diego-based solution provider, filed against Salt Lake City-based Access Microsystems and its owner, Paul Rajewski.

The case centered on three former TIG employees who left Access Microsystems nine years ago to work for TIG. According to TIG, the three employees were working on a large commercial account in the Salt Lake City area that indicated a desire to move its business to TIG, along with the three people who were working on the account. TIG claimed in the suit that Rajewski and other Access Microsystems employees made false allegations of bribery and fraud against TIG and its new employees to keep the account from switching to TIG.

TIG CEO Bruce Geier said the charges against his company were particularly damaging because of the tight-knit Mormon community in Salt Lake City. "Everybody in Salt Lake that we were doing business with stopped doing business with us," Geier said.

Because of the turmoil caused by the accusations, TIG lost $1.5 million in Salt Lake City and eventually closed its branch office there, according to the company.

Geier said he hopes the jury verdict in TIG's favor restores the company's business reputation in Salt Lake City. "This shows that you can't do whatever you want and abuse employees," he said. "If you get someone like us with the wherewithal to fight, it could cost you a lot of money."

Access Microsystems couldn't be reached for comment.