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| Facebook site faces fraud claim | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Social networking website Facebook could be shut down if legal action by the founders of a rival site succeeds. | |
| Three founders of ConnectU say Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg stole their idea for the site while at Harvard. | Three founders of ConnectU say Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg stole their idea for the site while at Harvard. |
| Facebook has become a global phenomenon with about 31 million users, compared with ConnectU's 70,000. | Facebook has become a global phenomenon with about 31 million users, compared with ConnectU's 70,000. |
| A Federal case accuses Mr Zuckerberg of fraud and misappropriation of trade secrets, and asks for ConnectU to be given ownership of Facebook. | |
| Last year, Facebook turned down a $1bn offer from Yahoo. | Last year, Facebook turned down a $1bn offer from Yahoo. |
| Facebook has asked a judge at a Boston district court to dismiss the case. | Facebook has asked a judge at a Boston district court to dismiss the case. |
| The ConnectU founders claim that while at college Mr Zuckerberg agreed to finish writing computer code for them, but that he stalled and eventually created Facebook using their ideas. | The ConnectU founders claim that while at college Mr Zuckerberg agreed to finish writing computer code for them, but that he stalled and eventually created Facebook using their ideas. |
| In court documents, Facebook's lawyers say that ConnectU's "broad brush allegations" had no evidence to support them. | In court documents, Facebook's lawyers say that ConnectU's "broad brush allegations" had no evidence to support them. |
| "Each of them had different interests and activities," they said. | "Each of them had different interests and activities," they said. |
| "Only one of them had an idea significant enough to build a great company. That one person was Mark Zuckerberg." | "Only one of them had an idea significant enough to build a great company. That one person was Mark Zuckerberg." |
| Like Facebook, ConnectU is designed to connect people online. Users create profiles and can post pictures and messages. | Like Facebook, ConnectU is designed to connect people online. Users create profiles and can post pictures and messages. |
| The legal action alleges that ConnectU founders Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss and Divya Narenda began developing a networking site in 2002. | The legal action alleges that ConnectU founders Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss and Divya Narenda began developing a networking site in 2002. |
| They asked Mr Zuckerberg to help finish the code, which he agreed to, they claim. | They asked Mr Zuckerberg to help finish the code, which he agreed to, they claim. |
| "Such statements were false," the court documents allege. | "Such statements were false," the court documents allege. |
| "Zuckerberg never intended to provide the code and instead intended to breach his promise ... and intended to steal the idea." | "Zuckerberg never intended to provide the code and instead intended to breach his promise ... and intended to steal the idea." |