Software giant Oracle sues Las Vegas-based company

Oracle is suing Las Vegas-based Rimini Street, claiming the local computer support company engaged in “a massive theft” of Oracle’s software.

Lawyers for Oracle USA and Oracle International Corp. filed the federal lawsuit Monday in Las Vegas against Rimini and its president, Seth Ravin. The complaint seeks injunctive relief and alleges copyright infringement, unjust enrichment and breach of contract.

The 13 charges made by Oracle in the complaint also allege violations of the federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and California’s Computer Data Access and Fraud Act, and unfair competition.

The lawsuit alleges Rimini claims to be a support provider to companies that license some of Oracle’s software applications, including PeopleSoft, J.D. Edwards and Siebel-branded software.

“Central to Rimini Street’s business model is the illegal downloading of Oracle’s software and support materials in a scheme that is vast in scope, consisting of many thousands of software and support materials,” the complaint states.

Oracle alleges Rimini logs on to Oracle’s protected Web site using customer credentials and downloads Oracle software in excess of what the customers have authorized. Rimini and Ravin have made thousands of illegal copies of Oracle software to use for “low-cost support” for Rimini customers, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit claims Ravin was an owner of an earlier company, SAP TN, which admitted to illegally copying Oracle software after being sued by Oracle in 2007.

Contact reporter Valerie Miller at vmiller@lvbusinesspress.com or 702-387-5286.