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A North Carolina private investigator, Nicholas Del Rosso, is pressing for the dismissal of what remains of a lawsuit filed by aviation tycoon Farhad Azima, who accuses Del Rosso of participating in an international hacking conspiracy aimed at undermining his business. Del Rosso, along with his company Vital Management Services Inc., filed a reply on Wednesday in support of their summary judgment motion, asserting that Azima’s claims are time-barred and lack evidence.

The lawsuit, initially filed in October 2020, has already seen significant reductions, leaving only claims under North Carolina’s trade secrets act and conspiracy allegations based on online links posted in 2018 and 2019. Del Rosso argues that Azima’s attempts to dodge the statute of limitations are flawed, pointing out that both Azima and his experts have previously acknowledged that the disputed data was publicly available as early as January 2017.

Del Rosso contends that Azima has not provided any credible evidence showing that the trade secrets were published in 2018 or 2019, nor has he demonstrated that the alleged trade secrets held any value, as the companies involved had ceased operations before the data was allegedly exposed.

Furthermore, Del Rosso's legal team argues that Azima has failed to prove any economic loss stemming from the alleged publication of the trade secrets, noting the absence of any banking partners or business deals that were terminated as a result.

In addition to Del Rosso’s push for dismissal, non-party witness Christopher Swecker has filed a motion seeking nearly $210,000 in attorney fees and costs from Azima. Swecker, who has been involved in the case as legal counsel for Del Rosso, claims that compliance with Azima’s subpoena has imposed an undue financial burden, involving extensive document review and significant expenses for discovery hosting.

The case, which revolves around allegations of a broader conspiracy involving the Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority and law firm Dechert LLP, continues to unfold as both sides prepare for further legal battles.