A claim for £118.5m has been lodged against Mahmud Kamani, the billionaire founder of Boohoo, for breach of an agreement.
JMW Solicitors is representing Richard Womack, a former IT contractor who claims to be the third founder behind the fashion retail empire.
Mr Womack began working with Mr Kamani in 1998, providing IT consultancy services for his business, Pinstripe Clothing Co.
In February 2006, Womack claims Mr Kamani approached him to develop a website to sell clothing online.
Mr Womack says they agreed for him to do the work in return for a 10 per cent share in the company by way of remuneration.
In return, he says he spent almost two years building the infrastructure for the website and 'developing bespoke stock management software as part of the process.'
Mr Womack says he also created the coding of the website, the database, integrated stock lines, organised and bought equipment for photoshoots, decided the 'look and feel' of the website and chose the 'Boohoo' logo.
He says he became heavily involved in the 'management and control of Boohoo, including negotiating contracts, placing orders, dealing with complaints and working on commercial issues beyond the website, developing key ideas for concepts and running marketing campaigns.'
But Mr Womack claims he has never been rewarded for the work undertaken for the Boohoo website since 2006.
He said: “When I look back on those years, I remember how much time and energy - how much of my life - was invested in creating the Boohoo e-commerce platform and making a success of the business during the brand’s early years.
"It has continued to sap my energy since - it’s very galling to have had zero recognition for the part I played and the time, the money and expertise I invested.”
A spokesperson for Mr Kamani confirmed Richard Womack provided IT services to Boohoo in 2006 but that his most recent ‘allegations are entirely without merit.’
Adding: “Most recently in February of this year lawyers acting for Womack sent a letter before action, again seeking payment of millions of pounds from Mr Kamani.
"Pannone Corporate (representing Mr Kamani) has responded fully to Womack’s latest allegations.
"Womack’s allegations are entirely without merit. No monies are due and owing to Womack. Any claim which is formally served on Mr Kamani, will be met with an application to strike it out."
