Thomson, a Canadian financial information services company, has been sued by rival Boston-based company CCBN, alleging that Thomson used confidential information from CCBN board meetings and confidential web sites to compete against the firm.

In the complaint, filed in Boston federal court, CCBN also accused Thomson of unfair trade and business practices, misrepresentation, breach of contract and monopolisation in violation of the US Sherman Antitrust Act.

According to CCBN, Thomson and its subsidiary, Thomson Financial, used its position as a 10% CCBN shareholder to copy the business plans and to access the confidential information, in order to enter the business areas of its competitor.

CCBN also accuses Thomson of stealing information “by breaking into password-protected [web] sites”.

Thomson denied the allegations in a statement issued yesterday afternoon.

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