Airline executive Farhad Azima settles with law firm Dechert over hacking claim

By Raphael Satter

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Missouri-based airline executive Farhad Azima said on Thursday he had settled with the law firm Dechert and two of its former senior attorneys over allegations they took part in a scheme to hack his emails and use them in court to destroy his business.

Lawyers' use of hackers to win cases has drawn increasing attention. A 2022 Reuters investigation showed how a group of mercenary hackers had targeted more than 1,000 different attorneys at more than 100 law firms around the world.

In a statement, Azima said he was "extremely pleased" to announce that the New York lawsuit against Dechert and former Dechert lawyers Neil Gerrard and David Hughes had been settled.

The terms of the settlement were not disclosed and a lawyer for Azima declined to say what they were.

Representatives for Dechert, Gerrard, and Hughes did not immediately return messages seeking comment. A court filing in Manhattan court showed the case against the three parties had been dismissed.

The settlement marks another victory Azima, who in April was able to get British judgments against him worth more than $4 million thrown out after a court ruled that Dechert's client, the Gulf emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, had covered up the use of hackers to win the case.

In February, Dechert announced it was paying Azima 3 million pounds ($3.8 million) plus unspecified costs to settle a separate British legal action. The firm said it did so "without any admission of liability."

Last year Dechert settled with another hacking victim, the journalist Jay Solomon, who had accused the firm of using hackers to steal his messages.

In his statement, Azima said he is still suing other parties alleged to have participated in the hacking, including Israeli private eye Amit Forlit, who is currently fighting extradition to the United States on hacking charges.

Forlit's lawyer did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

(Reporting by Raphael Satter; Editing by Sonali Paul)