Earlier this year, Apple initiated legal action against Jon Prosser and Michael Ramacciotti, claiming they engaged in a coordinated effort to unlawfully access an Apple development iPhone, steal proprietary information, and profit from it. In a recent court filing, Ramacciotti denied participating in any conspiracy with Prosser and stated that any payment he received from Prosser occurred after their interaction and was not prearranged.
Apple’s lawsuit alleges that Ramacciotti gained access to the development iPhone of former employee Ethan Lipnik by using location tracking to identify periods when Lipnik was away from the device. Ramacciotti is accused of showing Prosser features of the unreleased iOS 26 during a FaceTime call. While Ramacciotti confirmed he accessed Lipnik’s iPhone and demonstrated certain iOS features to Prosser, he rejected the claim that he tracked Lipnik’s location.
According to Ramacciotti’s filing, prior to the FaceTime call, Lipnik had shared details of new iOS features with him. Ramacciotti indicated that he did not recognize the sensitive nature of the development iPhone’s software due to Lipnik’s willingness to showcase it. The filing mentions that at some point after their call, Prosser offered Ramacciotti $650. Ramacciotti clarified that he did not initiate contact with Prosser based on any expectation of payment, and he was unaware that Prosser was recording their conversation. He also asserted that he does not possess any Apple trade secrets, nor does he have any recordings or confidential information.
Neither Prosser nor Apple has provided immediate comments on this matter. Prosser previously indicated that he has been in communication with Apple regarding the lawsuit, but Apple later stated that he has not confirmed when he may formally respond to the charges. A default has been entered against Prosser, allowing the case to proceed without his response, and Apple plans to seek a default judgment against him.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/810656/apple-jon-prosser-lawsuit-ios-26-leaker-michael-ramacciotti-paid