In a significant legal ruling, a Norwegian court has ordered Tesla to pay over €180,000 ($188,500) in compensation to a former employee, Lukasz Krupski, after finding the company had violated his rights as a whistleblower. This includes €10,000 ($10,500) in damages and more than €170,000 ($178,000) in legal fees.
The case stems from Krupski, a former service technician at Tesla’s Drammen plant in Norway, who leaked over 100 gigabytes of data to German publication Handelsblatt. The data contained information about security flaws, issues with Tesla’s Autopilot system, and difficulties surrounding the Cybertruck’s development. It also exposed sensitive information, such as private details about Tesla customers and employees, business partner contracts, and confidential company presentations.
Tesla’s response to the leak was swift and aggressive, leading Norwegian authorities to raid Krupski’s apartment just days after the data was made public. Tesla accused him of being a “disgruntled former employee,” and Krupski was subjected to retaliation, including a demotion and isolation. In response, Krupski filed a lawsuit, seeking compensation for lost wages, emotional distress, and mistreatment.
Earlier this week, the Norwegian District Court of Buskerud ruled in Krupski’s favor, affirming his right to compensation, though it fell short of the €250,000 ($262,000) he had initially sought. Krupski viewed the ruling as a victory for transparency, stating, “Tesla made my life hell after I raised concerns about serious safety issues within the company… This decision is an important victory for transparency.”
Krupski had once been recognized by Tesla CEO Elon Musk in 2019 for heroically preventing a fire under a Model 3 by disconnecting a modified charger. However, after raising safety concerns, he became a target for Tesla’s management and was eventually fired in 2022 over accusations related to time management, poor influence on staff, and photographing company property, which violated Tesla’s policies.
