EDWARDSVILLE - An industrial cleaning company is suing its former employees, including a one time chief executive, alleging they took customers and company information to a rival business.
Plant Maintenance, based in Highland, filed suit April 13 in Madison County Circuit Court against former COE John Kruse and former employees Dena Kruse, Dan Newman, Ammari Bourgeois, and William Kinkel.
According to the complaint, the defendants took actions that were designed to harm the plaintiff, including destroying data and attempting to entice customers to switch to their new employer, WS Industrial, using information gathered during their employment.
Plant Maintenance also claims that Kruse and wife, Dena, misappropriated approximately $500,000 during their four year tenure with the company. Specifically, John Kruse is accused of misappropriating more than $330,000 in 2019 alone.
Kruse could not be reached for comment.
The suit states that the Illinois-based company is involved in industrial maintenance, cleaning and waste disposal. It operates out of Illinois, Texas, Missouri and Oklahoma, and has a loyal customer base, according to the complaint.
Customers hire Plant Maintenance when there is a discharge or release of hazardous waste. The plaintiff alleges there is "fierce competition" in the business.
Kruse was employed as chief executive officer and manager from 2016 until his resignation in August 2019, the complaint states.
He allegedly had access to confidential information, including pricing data and everything relating to customers.
According to the complaint, the defendant had a 10 percent share of the company, which was agreed to when beginning employment with the company. It was a promise to pay agreement.
Following his resignation, Kruse went to work for the rival company, as did his wife and three other employees, the suit states. Kruse is accused of encouraging the employees to resign and join WS Industrial.
According to the complaint, data was destroyed and deleted and passwords changed on the plaintiff's computers prior to the employees leaving. Plant Maintenance also claims that data was transferred. All the defendants are accused of injury to property.
The plaintiff, which is seeking more than $50,000 and punitive damages, is represented by Steven M. Wallace of the Silver Lake Group in Glen Carbon.
Madison County Circuit Court case number 2020-L-0518