Company Founder Brings Discrimination Suit After Being Ousted

September 11, 2006 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The Iranian founder of an Arizona software firm has sued his own company and its board of directors, claiming that they forced him out because of his national origin, and that the company failed to pay him $250,000 in severance pay.

According to the Arizona Republic, the former chairman and chief executive of Scottsdale, Arizona-based Patchlink, Sean Moshir, filed the suit in Maricopa County Superior Court. He alleges that the discrimination began in 2000, when Moshir said he started being pressured by board members and others to terminate minority employees.

Five years later, in 2005, the board ousted Moshir as chief executive and replaced him with a man Moshir claims went on to terminate all of the males of Middle Eastern descent at the company’s headquarters.

According to the Republic, some of the defendants include three venture capitalists with investments in the company, a national cybersecurity expert, and an industry consultant who lasted three months as Moshir’s replacement.

The discrimination lawsuit was filed in July and a separate suit over severance pay was filed in January.

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