Regus WeWork accused of corporate espionage by co-working competitor
Knotel CEO Amol Sarva, co-founder of New York's third-largest office space provider, has accused rival firm WeWork of "corporate espionage". Sarva alleged that his company was infiltrated by WeWork staff posing as customers, who then targeted Knotel's clients with marketing materials and offers of free rent. "It's hard to say whether the CEO is orchestrating bad behaviour, or it's just a frat party run amok," said Sarva. According to reports, other co-working companies have experienced similar issues. WeWork did not respond to the accusations.

On the wall of one of Knotel's New York locations, a "wanted" poster displays the mugshot of a man the company believes is secretly employed by WeWork, its main co-working rival.

Amol Sarva, chief executive and co-founder of the fast-growing Knotel, claimed that man and several other employees of the $20 billion co-working giant posed as prospective tenants to gain access to Knotel's co-working spaces.

"WeWork had their paid staff lie about who they were to enter our secure areas," Sarva told Crain's. "That's corporate espionage, and it's in service to a hostile and negative strategy."

Once inside, the WeWork spies were able to assess Knotel's clientele, some of whom were later targeted with aggressive marketing materials in which WeWork offered up to a year of free rent and money to help tenants buy themselves out of their current Knotel leases.