A second accusation for Sean Reeves (11/16/01)   (source : madforsailing.com)

Last month, Sean Reeves, a former Team New Zealand rules adviser who helped set up One World, was identified as the man alleged to have offered $6 million worth of One World design and technical secrets to the rival Oracle Syndicate in a phone call to Kiwi sailor Chris Dickson, the Oracle helmsman. Now, in a sworn declaration before a court in Seattle, GBR Challenge's general manager David Barnes said Reeves approached him to sell information on the Team New Zealand and One World boats for $1 million. According to David Barnes, the information allegedly being offered was far more detailed and included measurement details for the '95 and 2000 Team NZ black boats (extensive information about the revolutionary Millennium "X" Rig, the drawings and deck plan for the successful cup defender NZL 60) and details of One World's plans. In his declaration Barnes says he told Reeves it was illegal for him to receive the information under the America's Cup protocol and he also said Reeves responded that there were ways around that. On hearing about One World's legal action against Reeves, Barnes decided to provide the information to One World for submission to the court and a hearing is due to be held in Seattle next Monday. Barnes's decision to make this statement will weigh heavily against Reeves, who has denied having made a similar offer to Oracle Racing's Chris Dickson. With Barnes and Dickson making similar allegations, Reeves will have to call on all his skills as a lawyer to persuade the court of his innocence in the matter.

NZ Herald reveal John Doe is Sean Reeves (10/27/01)   (source : E. Bingham & T. Wall in NZHerald )

The New Zealand Herald reveal the man accused of trying to sell secret design and technical plans worth $6 million about OneWorld (also accused of trying to pass information about Team NZ) is Sean Reeves, a 40-year-old former lawyer who left Team New Zealand last year and lured others with him to the Seattle-based One World syndicate. The case hinges on a phone call Sean Reeves made to Chris Dickson, who leads the California-based Oracle Racing team backed by computer billionaire Larry Ellison. Dickson alleges that during the July 17 conversation, Reeves offered to sell him design and technical secrets about One World and TNZ. In a declaration to the court filed in California, Dickson said he phoned Reeves back after receiving a message from him. "He said that he held knowledge from the design and technical perspective of the OneWorld Challenge programme and the previous Team New Zealand programme. "Reeves also said that he had come to a financial settlement with One World that was less than he had been expecting and that he was looking to recover some of his losses. "Reeves told me that he held line plans, rig plans, keel plans and deck layouts but did not specify for which boats or which teams." After a 30-minute conversation, Dickson said Oracle was not interested in receiving any information. But Reeves said yesterday that he and Dickson chatted about old yachting stories and their babies. Reeves denied offering information to Oracle or any other syndicate and said he would sue One World over the allegations. He suggested the allegations - which had "no foundation in law or fact" - were a "stunt" and part of gamesmanship between Oracle and One World. "There is a bigger game between One World and Oracle which will backfire on them." Reeves sailed at the Olympics for New Zealand and was involved in the winning America's Cup campaign in 95. After acting as a legal rules adviser for Team NZ last year, he helped American billionaire Craig McCaw establish a new syndicate. Reeves was involved in signing other team members, including veteran sailor Craig Monk and designer Laurie Davidson. He said yesterday that he created One World and it was "my baby". His departure this year was "mutually negotiated". "I did not resign and I was not sacked," he said. "I did not agree with a certain restructuring proposal and the direction the syndicate was taking." The case is next set down for hearing in Seattle next month.

Is OWC Spy a former TNZ member ? (10/24/01)   (source : NZHerald & Cheryl on 2003AC)

New Zealand Herald mentions that several sources told that the famous John Doe was involved in New Zealands successful defence of the cup last year but Peter Montgomery, interviewed on Radio NZ this morning, said that it was wrong to say that the spy was a TNZ sailor. The person concerned was part of the TNZ camp in 1995 and 2000 but was not one of the 16 on board the Black boat. There had been some issues, including anti-social behaviour which led the person being fired from OWC. The person’s name would be widely known in NZ.

One World claims against John Doe (10/23/01)   (source : scuttlebut)

According to a complaint filed in the King County Superior Court in Seattle WA on August 15, on or about July 24, members of the Oracle Racing Team were contacted by a former employee (or contractor) of the One World Challenge syndicate, offering to sell "confidential proprietary design, trade secrets, and other data regarding One World's America's Cup challenge. Oracle told One World that when it determined that the offered information had been improperly obtained, it refused to purchase the information and promptly notified One World. Because of an understanding reached with John Doe before Oracle determined the impropriety of John Doe's possession and use of the information, Oracle considers itself bound to not revel John Doe's true identity unless compelled to do so by legal process". On July 30, OWC sent a letter to all other syndicates stating, in part : "The information concerned is clearly the property of OWC and any use or attempted use of the information by any other party would be a clear breach of Articles 13, 15 of Protocol Governing AC XXXI and OWC's proprietary rights. OWC is, however, confident that neither the Defender nor any other Challengers would seek to use or take advantage of the information. In due course as OWC becomes aware of the identity of the individual and the scope of the activity is revealed, OWC will take the appropriate steps to protect its proprietary rights and ensure that the Protocol prevails. Accordingly, each of you is asked, if you become aware of someone endeavouring to offer OWC proprietary information, to immediately inform OWC so that the matter can be properly dealt with." One World claims that John Doe had executed a Confidentiality and Noncompetition Agreement, which included post-employment restrictions on his ability to assist other syndicates. And that his separation agreement included "substantial separation pay as consideration and John Doe agreed to extend the term of the Confidentiality Agreement." One World's complaint charges breach of the Uniform Trade Secrets Act, breach of Duty of Confidence, Interference with Business Expectancy, breach of Duty of Loyalty, and seeks judgment for damages "including double and/or exemplary damages where authorized by applicable law". One World puts a value of over $2.5 million on the data, stating that it includes, among other things, "hull design, crew training, team member eligibility and construction data." A subsequent filing called for the formation of a commission to take a sworn statement from representatives of Oracle Racing that would, among other things, name John Doe. That statement has been taken and, according to a representative of OWC, will be filed with the Court in a matter of days. Gary Wright, CEO of OWC stated that he was very grateful for the actions of Oracle Racing: "They have acted honorably, they contacted us right away, we might never have known about this if they hadn't told us." Oracle Racing declined to comment.

A copy of the court filing at Scuttlebut

OneWorld Challenge Website (09/17/01)   (source : Craig on 2003AC)

One Worlds site is up and running... It must be added to your links. Click the opposite Logo.

- Paul G. Allen joins OneWorld (08/07/01)   (source : sailsail.com)

TechTV announced today that it will join forces with Craig McCaw on the OneWorld Challenge campaign to win the 31st America's Cup. Vulcan Northwest - which owns TechTV - will support the campaign on behalf of TechTV through a $10 million sponsorship to the America's Cup syndicate, which was founded by McCaw. The San Francisco-based cable television channel is the leading network covering technology news, information and entertainment 24 hours a day. Vulcan Northwest Inc. was founded by Paul G. Allen in 1986 to manage his personal and professional endeavors, including various investments, more than 100 portfolio companies, the six Paul G. Allen Foundations, First & Goal Inc., the Experience Music Project museum, Clear Blue Sky Productions and others. Vulcan is headquartered in Seattle, Washington. "There is no better partner to have in this effort than my friend Paul and the team at TechTV. Paul is a true sports enthusiast (Allen owns the Portland Trail Blazers NBA team and the Seattle Seahawks NFL franchise), a man who shares my concern for environmental stewardship, and someone who loves the adventure of boating and being on the water," said McCaw. Today, underwriters of OneWorld at this point include Craig McCaw, Paul Allen's TechTV, SAIC, and Ford/Lincoln Mercury.