Hyperloop One, a high-speed train start-up which hopes to develop a new high-speed transportation system by using electric propulsion, filed a $250 million lawsuit on Tuesday against four former employees, including a company co-founder, who filed a suit seeking unspecified damages earlier this month. Photo courtesy of Hyperloop One

LOS ANGELES, July 20 (UPI) -- Hyperloop One, a high-speed train startup, filed a $250 million lawsuit on Tuesday against four former employees, including a company co-founder, who filed suit earlier this month.

A lawsuit seeking unspecified damages against Hyperloop One and four executives was filed earlier this month in the California Superior Court in Los Angeles by co-founder and former Hyperloop One CTO Brogan BamBrogan and three colleagues: Knut Sauer, David Pendergast and William Mulholland.


Hyper loop One, under Shervin Pishevar, co-founder and executive chairman of Hyperloop One, filed a $250 million countersuit on Tuesday against BamBrogan and the three others.

Hyperloop One is planning to develop a high-speed transportation system by using electric propulsion. The lawsuit against the company alleges the "technological promise" of the futuristic high-speed rail system is "being strangled by the mismanagement and greed of the venture capitalists who control the company." The lawsuit also alleges nepotism and threatening behavior.

In one incident of such behavior, Afshin Pishevar -- brother of Shervin Pishevar who served as the company's chief legal officer -- is accused of leaving a hangman's noose on BamBrogan's office chair following a dispute. Afshin Pishevar is seen in surveillance camera footage appearing to place the noose.

Hyperloop One's countersuit acknowledges leaving the rope was "ill-considered and in poor taste," adding that Afshin Pishevar was fired over the stunt.

Hyperloop One's lawsuit alleges the four men "staged a failed coup."

"Today's lawsuit demonstrates that these four defendants staged a failed coup to try to take over Hyperloop One and, failing that, conspired to steal our intellectual property and start their own company," a lawyer at the firm representing Hyperloop One told Fox News. "They engaged in gross misconduct in pursuit of their illegal plan".