Uber just can’t seem to get out of scandals. An investor and board member of Uber Shervin Pishevar has been accused of sexual misconduct by five women. The sexual harassment started as far back as 2014. Current and former employees of the company that knew about the situation stated that the 40-year-old board member made a move on Austin Geidt, who was then the head of the company’s global expansion, placing his hands on her legs and slowly moving it up her dress. According to the colleagues, Geidt squirmed and shifted away.
According to the sources, that wasn’t the first time that Pishevar made moves towards Geidt, even though she declined him. Geidt started as in intern in Uber as an intern back in 2010 before she was assigned to head the launching of Uber in new cities across the country. She was offered important political and business connections by Pishevar who is a major donor of the Democratic Party.
As time goes on, Pishevar began to take a liking for Geidt as he is often seen at most of her events while placing his hands on her legs or her lower back. When contacted, Geidt who is still in the company as the head of their autonomous driving unit, declined to comment.
Five other women came out to accuse Pishevar of being sexually harassed while they had a professional relationship. They accused him of using the professional connection and using the idea of a job, mentorship or investment to make sexual advances to them. They prefer to remain unidentified due to Pishevar’s behavior of suing and using his political influence in the tech industry to put an end to their career.
His influence is far reaching as he got a U.K court to stop a newspaper from reporting his arrest. He was arrested after he was accused of rape, though he wasn’t charged after the London police conducted an investigation and found nothing. After that, he sued an opposition research firm, alleging that the research firm is aiming to spread false rumors about him.
In his statement, an attorney for Pishevar stated that he came to the Uber party with his girlfriend and rebuffed the allegation that his client touching Geidt inappropriately or making any sexual moves towards at other meetings.
