Luminar founder Austin Russell agrees to accept subpoena in bankruptcy case

Luminar laminitis and erstwhile CEO Austin Russell has agreed to judge an physics subpoena for accusation connected his telephone related to the company, arsenic portion of the lidar-maker’s ongoing bankruptcy proceeding, per a caller filing Tuesday.

Russell present has 7 days to record a question to quash the subpoena, oregon entity to it — different helium has 14 days to comply, according to the filing.

The statement comes two weeks after Luminar’s lawyers accused Russell of avoiding the subpoena by turning distant process servers astatine the gross to his Florida mansion. Russell had argued helium was unwilling to crook implicit his telephone until helium received assurances from Luminar that his idiosyncratic accusation would beryllium protected; the Tuesday filing shows the 2 sides agreed to hash retired nonstop steps connected however that accusation volition beryllium handled.

Luminar filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection successful December aft losing large contracts with customers similar Volvo and Mercedes-Benz, arsenic good arsenic rising contention from lidar companies successful China.

Luminar reached a woody past week with a institution called Quantum Computing Inc. (QCI) to merchantability its lidar assets for $22 million. (Luminar is besides trying to merchantability its semiconductor part to QCI for $110 million.) Luminar has scheduled an auction for the extremity of this period successful an effort to solicit bids that mightiness bushed QCI’s offer.

Russell tried to bargain Luminar successful October, months aft his abrupt resignation arsenic CEO owed to an morals inquiry, but earlier the institution filed for bankruptcy. Representatives for his caller venture, Russell AI Labs, person told TechCrunch that helium remains funny successful submitting a bid for Luminar’s lidar assets, but a ceremonial connection has not yet been submitted.

Luminar has been seeking accusation from Russell since his resignation arsenic it decides whether to instrumentality ineligible enactment against him. The laminitis has already turned implicit aggregate computers, but held connected to his telephone due to the fact that of privateness concerns. (Luminar primitively claimed it was seeking 2 phones from Russell, 1 provided by the institution and 1 personal. Russell has since said successful tribunal filings that helium lone ever had 1 telephone during his clip astatine Luminar.)