TPG and Levine: A tale of two lawsuits

In late January, buyout giant TPG filed a suit that captured the attention of any fund manager who slows down at the sight of a car wreck. The firm claimed that former global head of public affairs Adam Levine, sour after being denied a promotion, had leaked false stories to The New York Times and other media outlets, and had stolen his company-issued laptop and Blackberry, planning to divulge more confidential information to the press.

In early April, a new, even bigger controversy arose. Levine fired back at his former firm with a lawsuit of his own, claiming his dismissal from TPG and the firm’s subsequent complaint was whistleblower retaliation. His suit alleged that TPG was using a questionable fee and expense policy, which he had reported to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The two suits both contained salacious details and a timeline of Levine’s fall from glory. Below is the story, told from both perspectives with TPG’s timeline up top in blue and Levine’s timeline below in red. Do the stories sync up in all areas? Is TPG in the right or is Levine the victim? Or are they just two sides of the same controversial coin?

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