US adds eBay to accused firms in 'poaching' probe

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - United States (US) authorities on Friday sued online retail giant Ebay, claiming it was part of a conspiracy with software maker Intuit to refrain from hiring each other's employees to keep salaries under control.

The civil antitrust lawsuit said Ebay violated antitrust laws in an agreement not to recruit or hire Intuit employees, the Justice Department said.

The suit claims then-Ebay chief executive Meg Whitman and Intuit founder Scott Cook agreed to the plan, which "deprived these employees of better job opportunities."

Officials said it was not necessary to name Intuit in the complaint because the company had previously been named in a September 2010 lawsuit and settlement, which bars Intuit from entering into these types of agreements.