WASHINGTON-Richard Bliss, the Qualcomm Inc. field technician detained on espionage charges last November but conditionally freed by Russian authorities a month later, sued the San Diego firm last week for failing to secure proper authorization for Global Positioning System equipment he brought into the country with him to work on a $5.8 million wireless network in Rostov-on-Don.
Qualcomm vowed to vigorously defend itself against the suit, filed Tuesday in San Diego Superior Court, which charges the wireless manufacturer with negligence, fraud, intentional misrepresentation, inflicting emotional distress and breach of good faith.
Qualcomm called the suit meritless and “an opportunistic demand for money.” Bliss’ lawyers, according to Qualcomm, had demanded $1 million but were rebuffed.
The State Department, with help from congressional lawmakers and Qualcomm, negotiated Bliss’ release in time for him to return home last Christmas. However, Russia has not dropped espionage charges that carry up to a 20-year jail sentence.
Since his return, Qualcomm said it has provided Bliss with counseling, extensive time off, career planning services, fully paid college tuition and expenses and other support.
Qualcomm, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune, refused Bliss’ request to return to San Diego after he was detained Nov. 25 last year. Bliss spent 12 days in jail and remained under house arrest after his Dec. 6 release. The Union-Tribune said Bliss was interrogated eight hours at times, and contemplated suicide.
“He has lost his career, his reputation has been damaged and he has suffered emotional distress because of Qualcomm’s actions,” Bliss’ lawyer Kim Roberts told the Union-Tribune.
