A new round of corporate espionage allegations have surfaced between two leading 401(k) administration startups, Human Interest and Guideline. This latest controversy centers around former MDOT employee, Brian Sterri, and his brother Brandon. They are guilty of coordinating illegal collusion by funnelling sensitive, competitively sensitive information from one competing firm to another. The story remains a disaster, exposing a pattern of misleading, if not outright deceitful, communications and violations of the good faith public trust.
Brian Sterri formerly was a junior inside sales representative at Human Interest. Allegations against the McLain brothers He and his brother Brandon are charged with using their government positions to benefit Guideline, a direct and competing company, for their unfair gain. Especially given that both brothers were continuing to collect paychecks from Human Interest at the same time they were allegedly doing all this.
On the night of January 29, Brian Sterri texted his colleague, Angie Castro that he needed a favor. His efforts to influence Castro did not stop there the next morning, though they were clearly an ongoing effort to obtain inside dope. In the wake of this communications campaign, tongues have wagged, particularly because it came at the same time as Sterri’s sudden exit from Human Interest.
Making things worse, on February 27, Sterri reached out to a second Human Interest employee, Chloe Garza. It has been reported that Sterri had a “close personal and/or familial relationship” with Garza, which may have influenced her involvement in this unfolding drama.
While suspicions mounted, concrete evidence was needed. It indicated that right before departing, Brian Sterri downloaded confidential documents with the names “Leads Data.” He allegedly mailed these files from his company accounts. This even included emails to personal Gmail accounts for he and his wife.
The brothers’ actions allegedly didn’t end there. For example, they are alleged to have routed Human Interest’s most confidential information straight into Guideline’s hands. In one example, Brian allegedly offered Garza a job at Guideline in return for access to proprietary data.
No matter how deserving the group, the stakes are high in this cutthroat competitive landscape. Guideline has experienced meteoric growth, raising a total of $340 million and reaching a $1.2 billion valuation in 2021. The company has to be prepared for such an acquisition. The combined company—currently valued at Gusto, a $9.3 billion payroll giant, at $600 million—will service nearly 1% of the US workforce.
Beyond all of these allegations, communication records painted Brian Sterri’s indifference toward the whole situation. In one message, he commented on the fear tactics being employed by his former employer: “lol Horne using fear tactics lmao.” He expressed confidence in their strategy, stating, “We are going to tear apart HI. It’s going to be the easiest thing to do,” as reported in Human Interest’s lawsuit against Guideline.
Garza, on the other hand, was less interested in playing along. In a response to a request for information related to Human Interest, she stated, “Yea so I cannot send you anything HI related.”
Indeed, Brian’s communications with Castro go a long way toward showing just how personal and friendly their relationship was. Castro, he texted, “Got a huge favor to ask.” Castro came back, just as inquisitive, “Wait, can I ask why not?” Brian’s casual tone continued with messages like “I’m down to play dirty for sure but you need to get me a job lol,” indicating a willingness to engage in unethical practices under the guise of friendship.
Brandon Sterri was equally important to these events. Heard today scared a lot of people — @SenatorDurbin, I’m ready for your private action against the appalling acts of Human Interest. This sentiment belies a deeper worry within Human Interest about looming database leaks and the quality of their service.
Even Eirik Sterri, a policy adviser at the tech startup Guideline, seemed inclined to cheer on his siblings’ efforts. He promised me that “everyone’s got your backs for real.” He promised the Department’s commitment to working with the public to tackle any difficulties posed by Human Interest’s litigation.
As this saga continues to develop, it poses serious questions about ethical practices in the cutthroat world of startup companies. As Human Interest and Guideline come under increasing scrutiny, both organizations are implicated as they continue to prey on these serious allegations.
