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The world’s largest aerospace company has been accused of “brazenly stealing and misusing” intellectual property, causing leaks on the International Space Station and putting the lives of astronauts at risk.

According to a US Federal lawsuit filed by Wilson Aerospace, and seen by Sky News, Boeing engaged in fraud and subsequent cover-up over many years to generate company profits.

In response, Boeing told Sky News the lawsuit was “rife with inaccuracies and omissions”.

Wilson Aerospace says it was contracted by Boeing between 2014 and 2016 to provide a solution for safely attaching engines to the Space Launch System (SLS), the rocket that will be used by NASA to return humans to the moon.

But, according to the Colorado-based company, after providing designs for a unique torque wrench, Boeing terminated the contract and produced versions that were “critically deficient in quality and performance.”

It added that use of the “mismatched” tools was believed to have caused or contributed to dangerous leaks that delayed the launch of the SLS rocket.

Alleged ‘theft’ of tool designs

Wilson and Boeing had collaborated over many years on several big space projects, including the International Space Station (ISS).

Wilson invented a series of tools designed to tighten fittings to precise specifications that were approved by NASA to avoid unnecessary damage to spacecraft and the potential for dangerous leaks of toxic or explosive fluids.

The lawsuit alleges Boeing’s “theft” of designs for tools used by astronauts to install equipment on the ISS, including part of the life support system and an airlock.

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It says frequent use of the ‘FFTD-1’ tool “in a manor non-conforming with its original design” led to trapped fittings, with a nut becoming distorted and fixed in place.

It claims Boeing had changed the design of the tool to increase the torque, resulting in over-tightening of fittings.

The lawsuit claims Boeing subsequently blamed leaks on Wilson’s tool design.

David Wilson, president and founder of Wilson Aerospace, said: “Boeing has not only stolen our intellectual property and damaged our company’s reputation but has used the technology incorrectly and at the expense of astronauts’ safety, which is beyond despicable.

“I hope that this lawsuit will put a stop to Boeing’s repeated practice of prioritising its own profits over safety.”

‘Endangered astronauts’

Wilson Aerospace claims Boeing orchestrated a cover-up, expunging all records showing any relationship between the companies.

Peter Flowers, partner at the law firm Meyers & Flowers, which is representing Wilson Aerospace, said: “Boeing’s brazen theft is illustrative of a large corporation leveraging its unchecked power to squash out a small family-owned and operated business.

“The Wilsons have a storied history in aviation and Boeing once again has shown that they will act deceptively to take advantage of smaller suppliers, like Wilson, by stealing and infringing on sensitive intellectual property.

“Boeing’s choices have endangered astronauts, all in the name of a larger bottom line.”

Wilson is seeking damages from Boeing for use of its “trade secrets”.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Boeing said: “This lawsuit is rife with inaccuracies and omissions.

“We will vigorously defend against this in court.”

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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs holds head in his hands as jury reaches a partial verdict

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Sean 'Diddy' Combs holds head in his hands as jury reaches a partial verdict

Jurors in the trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs have reached a verdict on four of the five counts against him – but the hip-hop mogul will have to wait to learn his fate.

In tense scenes towards the end of the court day on Tuesday, jurors sent a note to say they had reached verdicts on two charges of sex trafficking and two charges of transportation for prostitution, but had been unable to reach a unanimous decision on the charge of racketeering conspiracy.

Combs‘s lawyers surrounded him at the defence table after the note was sent to the court, and at one point he held his head in his hands.

After discussions with prosecution and defence lawyers, Judge Arun Subramanian told jurors to continue deliberating on Wednesday rather than deliver a partial verdict.

Diddy trial – live updates

Sean 'Diddy' Combs and his attorney Marc Agnifilo. Pic: Reuters/ Jane Rosenberg
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Combs and one of his lawyers, Marc Agnifilo, earlier in the day. Pic: Reuters/Jane Rosenberg

The jury has testimony from more than 30 witnesses to consider – including Combs’s former long-term partner Casandra “Cassie” Ventura and another former girlfriend called “Jane”, who testified under a pseudonym to protect her identity.

Prosecutors allege the 55-year-old rapper used his fame and power to force Cassie and “Jane” into drug-fuelled sex sessions with male sex workers, which were referred to as “freak-offs”, “wild king nights”, or “hotel nights”.

He was also physically violent and blackmailed them with footage, jurors were told.

They also heard from “Mia”, a former employee who alleged she was sexually assaulted by the rapper on several occasions during her career. She also testified using a pseudonym.

Combs has pleaded not guilty to all charges and his defence team has argued that prosecutors are attempting to criminalise what they say was a consensual “swingers lifestyle”.

The rapper chose not to testify and his lawyers did not call any witnesses, building their arguments instead through lengthy cross-examinations of the witnesses called by the prosecution.

The charges against Diddy – and potential sentences

Count 1: Racketeering conspiracy – up to life in prison

Count 2: Sex-trafficking of Cassie Ventura – a minimum of 15 years and maximum of life in prison

Count 3: Transporting individuals including but not limited to Cassie Ventura to engage in prostitution – a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison

Count 4: Sex-trafficking of Jane* – a minimum of 15 years and maximum of life in prison

Count 5: Transporting individuals including but not limited to Jane to engage in prostitution – a maximum of 10 years in prison

What is racketeering conspiracy?

Racketeering conspiracy, which is count one on the verdict sheet, is the most complicated of the charges against Combs.

Jurors need to decide not only whether the rapper created a “racketeering enterprise”, but also if he was involved in various offences as part of this, including kidnapping, arson and bribery.

The charge falls under the US’s RICO laws (the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organisations Act), which is best known for being used in relation to organised crime and drug cartel cases.

Read more:
Prosecution’s closing argument
Defence’s closing argument

After closing arguments last week, jurors began deliberation on Monday and had spent about 13 hours discussing in total by the time they sent their note.

Before reaching the verdict on the four counts, they had requested to review crucial testimony from Cassie about her account of an assault in a hotel in Los Angeles in 2016.

Captured on CCTV, the footage was played in court several times – showing Combs, wearing only a towel and socks, beating, kicking and dragging Cassie in a hallway.

His defence team admitted in their opening statement that this was domestic violence, and said the music star regretted these actions – but that they did not amount to any of the federal charges against him.

Read more:
The rise and fall of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs
What we learned from Cassie’s testimony

As well as Cassie’s evidence on that assault, they asked to see her testimony on an incident at the Cannes Film Festival in 2013 – when she said Combs accused her of taking drugs from him and kicked her off of his yacht.

On their way back to the US, she told the court, he threatened to release explicit videos of her having sex with an escort.

Jurors also wanted to review testimony given by a male sex worker at the start of the trial.

Combs could face 15 years to life in prison if he is convicted of all charges.

Jurors will continue deliberating on the racketeering conspiracy charge on Wednesday.

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Elon Musk steps up attacks on Trump once again – as the president fights back

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Elon Musk steps up attacks on Trump once again - as the president fights back

Elon Musk has stepped up his attacks on Donald Trump’s sweeping tax and spending bill – weeks after a spectacular fallout between the world’s richest man and the US president.

Following weeks of relative silence after clashing with Mr Trump over his “big beautiful bill”, the billionaire vowed to unseat politicians who support it.

In a post on X, Musk said those who had campaigned on cutting spending but then backed the bill “should hang their heads in shame”.

He added: “And they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth.”

Musk also threatened to put their faces on a poster which said “liar” and “voted to increase America’s debt” by $5trn (£3.6trn).

The posts attracted a swift reply from Mr Trump, who claimed the billionaire “may get more subsidy than any human being in history” for his electric car business.

“Without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa,” he wrote on Truth Social.

“No more Rocket launches, Satellites, or Electric Car Production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE. Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this? BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!”

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Elon’s dad on the Musk-Trump bust-up

Musk spent at least $250m (£182m) supporting Mr Trump in his presidential campaign and then led the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which sacked about 120,000 federal employees.

He has argued the legislation would greatly increase the US national debt and wipe out the savings he claimed he achieved through DOGE.

As the Senate discussed the package, Musk called it “utterly insane and destructive”.

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO said the bill’s massive spending indicated “we live in a one-party country – the PORKY PIG PARTY!!”

“Time for a new political party that actually cares about the people,” he wrote.

Read more from Sky News:
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Musk previously said some of his social media posts during his dramatic fallout with Mr Trump “went too far”.

He had shared a series of posts on X, including one that described Mr Trump’s tax and spending bill as a “disgusting abomination”.

He also claimed, in a since-deleted post, that the president appeared in files relating to the disgraced paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

But Musk later wrote: “I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far.”

In response, the president told the New York Post: “I thought it was very nice that he did that.”

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What’s in Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’?

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What's in Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill'?

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Martha Kelner and Mark Stone break down what’s in Donald Trump’s huge tax and spending bill. He’s trying to sign it into law by the end of the week.

They also discuss the State Department’s decision to revoke US visas for British band Bob Vylan after their Glastonbury performance.

If you’ve got a question you’d like the Trump100 team to answer, you can email it to trump100@sky.uk.

You can also watch all episodes on our YouTube channel.

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