A former Cree customer, Arizona-b ased Optol.lum, is suing the company in federal court, maintaining that it stole a design for LED light bulbs from Opto.Lum’s from its founder and CEO Joel Dry, according to a Triangle Business Journal report.

The TBJ says the suit alleges Dry created an energy efficient LED bulb design similar to Durham-based Cree’s a decade ago.

Opto.Lum accuses Cree of a “covert strategy” of competing with its own customers and of secretly leasing an unmarked off-site Durham facility to make bulbs.

In the suit, the company alleges Cree used false advertising, unjust enrichment, and patent infringement. It requests a jury trial.

A Cree spokesperson said the company doesn’t comment on pending litigation and Opto.Lum did not respond to a request for comment, the TBJ reports.

See the Triangle Business Journal for the full story