Billionaire Tech Titan Faces Explosive Allegations from Former Partner
Former Google chief executive Eric Schmidt finds himself at the centre of a vicious legal confrontation with his former partner, Michelle Ritter, who has levelled shocking accusations including sexual assault, corporate theft and illegal surveillance in recently unsealed court documents.
The 70-year-old billionaire has vehemently denied all claims, labelling Ritter a "liar" and asserting she fabricated the allegations to escape a confidential settlement regarding their shared business ventures.
A Relationship That Began with Mentorship
According to legal filings submitted in Los Angeles court, Ritter first encountered Schmidt in September 2020 through a business contact. At the time, she was a 26-year-old Columbia University student pitching her startup concept StarX Networks, while Schmidt was 65, recently retired from Google and still married to his wife of 45 years, Wendy Schmidt.
Ritter claims Schmidt initially presented himself as a mentor and potential investor, jet-setting with her globally and introducing her to prominent figures in industry and diplomacy. Her legal complaint states she eventually succumbed to his "unrelenting pursuit" of romance after repeated assurances that his marriage had effectively ended.
During their relationship, Ritter alleges she played significant roles in Schmidt's professional life, including editing his book co-authored with Henry Kissinger, advising on Biden administration appointments, drafting Senate testimony, and even influencing his consideration of purchasing the Washington Commanders NFL team.
Allegations of Abuse and Surveillance
The 70-page legal document filed last Wednesday describes what Ritter characterises as a pattern of coercive control and abuse that emerged during their partnership.
Among the most serious allegations is an incident aboard a yacht around November 2021, where Ritter claims Schmidt followed her into a shower, slammed her against a wall and forcibly raped her despite her pleas for him to stop. She further alleges he initiated sex while she slept during the Burning Man festival in August 2023.
Ritter's sworn declaration details additional disturbing behaviour:
- Schmidt allegedly pressured her to use prescription stimulants for weight loss
- He made sexual remarks about her appearance to colleagues
- He surreptitiously photographed her nude without consent
- He shoved her during arguments, leaving visible injuries
- He installed spyware on her computer to monitor communications
Perhaps most remarkably, Ritter claims Schmidt confessed to creating a "backdoor" access to Google servers that enabled him to view anyone's private account information, with her attorneys suggesting this surveillance extended beyond just her.
Corporate Dispute and Legal Counterclaims
The business dimension of their relationship centres around Steel Perlot, a startup incubator they established together that launched companies including Keeta, a payment network firm valued at $161 million.
Ritter alleges Schmidt used accounting manoeuvres to burden the company with other ventures' debt and ultimately stripped her of control over the businesses they developed jointly. She was removed as CEO of payment technology firm Knox and locked out of their shared residence in April 2024.
Schmidt's legal team has mounted a vigorous defence, characterising Ritter's claims as "false and defamatory," "fabricated" and "pathetic". They contend she has engaged in "compulsive lying" and manufactured the assault allegations to gain leverage in their business separation negotiations.
His lawyers further allege Ritter violated their settlement agreement by refusing to vacate a Beverly Hills mansion he provided, removing $1.1 million in property, and leaking information to media outlets. They claim to possess text messages that definitively disprove her accusations.
The case continues to unfold amidst complex legal manoeuvring regarding whether Ritter's sexual assault claims can proceed publicly or must be addressed through private arbitration as stipulated in their original business agreement.
