Last month, Target announced that they had hired a top executive in supply chain and logistics who was a longtime Amazon employee. He was scheduled to start his new job in Minneapolis next week, but Amazon has filed a lawsuit to prevent him from starting, citing a non-compete contract that he signed in 2012 and confidential information that the executive, Arthur Valdez, shared during his job interview.

Amazon didn’t say how it knows what went on during the job interview, but claims that Valdez gave Target information that should have been confidential during his interviews with the retailer, Seattle tech news site Geekwire explains. Amazon’s home of Washington state usually allows companies to enforce reasonable non-compete clauses, which isn’t true of all states.

“While interviewing with Target’s most senior executives,” the company said in its initial complaint, “Mr. Valdez referenced not only core aspects of Amazon’s confidential information, training and expertise, but also the title and topics of a key analysis and strategy meeting Mr. Valdez was contributing to and participating in at Amazon.”

Specifically, Valdez is also accused of sharing information about how Amazon handles orders and logistics during the holiday season.

Target itself isn’t a party to the suit, which was filed in Seattle against Valdez personally. However, Target had hired him as part of their plan to improve their own supply chain and ability to keep retail stores supplied while also filling online orders.

Amazon sues longtime exec over new job at Target, says retail rival will be able to steal its secrets [GeekWire]
Amazon Sues Executive Recently Hired by Target [Wall Street Journal]
Amazon vs. Valdez [Scribd]

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