Uber Execs Reportedly Thought Rider's Rape Was a Conspiracy

Uber is at "an all-time low on morality," says rival company Ola, per Buzzfeed. That after a report alleging Uber's president of business in Asia Pacific got his hands on the medical records of a woman raped during a 2014 Uber ride in India and showed them to a host of other executives based on what sources say was a suspicion her account was a false story concocted by Ola to hurt Uber. According to Recode, Eric Alexander carried the records around for a year, showing them to CEO Travis Kalanick, Senior VP of Business Emil Michael, and others before they were destroyed. This claim was among 215 issues reported by Uber Tuesday as part of its misconduct probe, but Alexander remained at Uber as of Tuesday when Recode asked about him. A day later, that had changed.

In the wake of the rape, Kalanick publicly claimed Uber would "do everything, I repeat, everything … to support the victim." But sources tell Bloomberg Kalanick privately voiced his doubts about the victim's account—even after the Uber driver was convicted of kidnapping and rape. (The case was so high-profile, India temporarily banned Uber.) The Delhi cop who led the investigation into the rape tells the Guardian he's perplexed by the idea of Alexander accessing the records. Alexander "was a witness in this case, but his deposition had nothing to do with the medical legal report. There is no reason for it." Though the Guardian notes when or how Alexander got the records hasn't been specified, Bloomberg reports two sources say they were obtained via Uber's law firm. (More Uber stories.)