Microsoft sues US employee over "$2m fraud attempt"

Software giant claims former business development manager defrauded company over seven-month period

Microsoft is suing a former US employee over claims he stole nearly $460,000 (£290,000) from the software giant over a period of seven months.

In a lawsuit filed by the vendor earlier this week, former business development manager Robert Curry is accused of defrauding the vendor by setting up a fake company and billing Microsoft for the work it carried out.

It states: "On at least three occasions between 19 April and 22 November 2010, Robert Curry, a Microsoft employee, fraudulently induced Microsoft to pay through a vendor approximately $459,241 for [the] defendant's benefit."

The document confirms that Curry's tenure at Microsoft, where he was part of the firm's Strategic Partnerships Team, ended on 13 January.

It is alleged that Curry set up his own distribution firm, Blu Games, and then billed Microsoft for work that did not take place.

The filing also claims that Curry attempted to obtain a further $1,453,205 from Microsoft, but was stopped once his scam came to light.