Vol. I — No. 1 A Public-Record Dossier April 2026
In this dossier
◆ Ritter v. Schmidt et al. — C.D. Cal. 2:26-cv-04383-JGB-Ex

On the record, in her own words.

A first-person record of the federal civil action filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California by Michelle Ritter, appearing pro se, against Eric Schmidt and eleven other named defendants. Fifteen counts. Filed April 24, 2026.

Plaintiff
Michelle Ritter
Pro se
Lead Defendant
Eric Schmidt
Et al. (12 named)
Court
C.D. Cal.
Case 2:26-cv-04383
Filed
April 24, 2026
12:24 PM
Status
Active
15 counts pleaded
§ I — The Lead

One plaintiff. Twelve defendants. Fifteen counts.

This site exists because public proceedings deserve a public record. The matter now styled Ritter v. Schmidt was filed on April 24, 2026 in the United States District Court for the Central District of California and pleads fifteen federal and state causes of action against twelve named defendants. The plaintiff appears pro se.

The pages that follow set out, in plain English, what is being alleged and where it is being litigated, and they reference only the public docket. They are not legal advice. They are a record.

“The point of pro se is not the absence of counsel. It is the presence of a voice.”

— From the introduction
§ II — In this issue
§ 01 — The Case

The parties and the claims.

As styled in the operative complaint filed April 24, 2026. Statutory citations are reproduced from the pleading.

Plaintiff  /  Claimant

Michelle RitterPro se · in pro per

Founder and operator. Appearing on her own behalf in all forums. Address of record on the docket.

Lead Defendant

Eric SchmidtEt al.

Former Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Google and Alphabet, Inc. Named in his individual capacity.

Defendants  —  12 named  +  Does 1–50
  1. Eric Schmidt
  2. Hillspire, LLC
  3. Glaser Weil Fink Howard Jordan & Shapiro LLP
  4. Craig H. Marcus
  5. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
  6. Knox Networks, Inc., dba Knova Finance
  7. Natalya Thakur
  8. KPMG LLP
  9. Google LLC
  10. Matthew Hiltzik
  11. Hiltzik Strategies, LLC
  12. Rulta OÜ
  13. Does 1 through 50, inclusive
The Parties — in detail

Each defendant, named for what.

01
Eric Schmidt
Individual. Former Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Google and Alphabet, Inc.
02
Hillspire, LLC
Family-office entity at the center of the contractual and fiduciary claims.
03
Glaser Weil Fink Howard Jordan & Shapiro LLP
Law firm. Named as to operational, non-advocacy conduct (Count VIII).
04
Craig H. Marcus
Individual. Partner at Glaser Weil. Named individually under Count X (Bane Act).
05
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
Banking institution. Named narrowly as to a written closure representation issued October 12, 2024 (Count VII).
06
Knox Networks, Inc., dba Knova Finance
Portfolio entity.
07
Natalya Thakur
Individual.
08
KPMG LLP
Professional services firm.
09
Google LLC
Named individually under Count XIV (Digital Millennium Copyright Act).
10
Matthew Hiltzik
Individual.
11
Hiltzik Strategies, LLC
New York limited liability company; public-relations firm.
12
Rulta OÜ
Estonian entity.
The Claims

Fifteen counts.

Five federal statutes nobody wants invoked against them. One arbitral award sought vacated. One constitutional claim. The complaint demands a jury trial.

I.
Computer Fraud and Abuse Act
18 U.S.C. § 1030
II.
Stored Communications Act
18 U.S.C. §§ 2701, 2707
III.
Federal Wiretap Act
18 U.S.C. §§ 2511, 2520
IV.
Declaratory Relief — Non-Formation and Non-Assent to Purported March 17, 2022 Audem Arbitration Agreement
28 U.S.C. §§ 2201–2202; 9 U.S.C. § 4
V.
Prospective Declaratory Judgment Under the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act
9 U.S.C. §§ 401–402; 28 U.S.C. §§ 2201–2202
VI.
Rescission and Cancellation of December 4, 2024 Settlement Agreement and December 17, 2024 Amendment
Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1567, 1568, 1572, 1575, 1668, 3412
VII.
Common-Law Fraud and Negligent Misrepresentation — Account-Closure Misrepresentation
Against Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
VIII.
Aiding and Abetting Breach of Fiduciary Duty and Aiding and Abetting Fraud (Operational, Non-Advocacy Conduct)
Against Glaser Weil Fink Howard Jordan & Shapiro LLP and Craig H. Marcus
IX.
Declaratory Relief — Sections 3(a)(i), 3(a)(iv), Schedule D, and Section 1 of the Amendment Void as Against Public Policy
Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1668, 1670.11; Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §§ 1001, 1002; 9 U.S.C. §§ 401–402
X.
Bane Act — Interference with Constitutional and Statutory Rights by Threats, Intimidation, and Coercion
Cal. Civ. Code § 52.1 — Against Craig H. Marcus, individually
XI.
Abuse of Process
California common law
XII.
Defamation, False Light, Commercial Disparagement, and Intentional Interference with Prospective Economic Advantage
Cal. Civ. Code §§ 45, 46; common law
XIII.
Declaratory Relief and Vacatur of the April 20, 2026 AAA Interim Arbitration Award
9 U.S.C. §§ 10, 402(b); 28 U.S.C. §§ 2201–2202; U.S. Const. amends. I, V, XIV
XIV.
Digital Millennium Copyright Act — Knowing Material Misrepresentation in Takedown Notices
17 U.S.C. § 512(f) — Against Google LLC
XV.
California Labor Code §§ 1102.5, 970, 218 — Whistleblower Retaliation, Misrepresentation to Induce Service, and Unpaid Compensation

See the operative complaint for the full pleading and prayer for relief.

§ 02 — Timeline

A horizontal chronology.

Dates are drawn from the operative complaint and the public docket. Hover or tap any node to expand its detail. Allegations remain allegations unless and until adjudicated.

◆   Hover or tap a date to expand   ◆   Scroll horizontally for more   ◆
§ 03 — Filings

Public-docket entries.

A reference list of officially filed documents in Ritter v. Schmidt et al., U.S. District Court, C.D. Cal. New entries are posted within seventy-two hours of filing. Items under seal are not posted; private arbitration filings are not posted.

Apr 24, 2026
Complaint
Complaint
Operative complaint pleading fifteen federal and state causes of action. Demand for jury trial.
Apr 24, 2026
Cover Sheet
Civil Cover Sheet
Form JS-44 civil cover sheet accompanying the complaint.
Apr 24, 2026
Notice
Certificate of Interested Parties
Disclosure of parties with a financial interest in the action.
Apr 24, 2026
Summons
Summonses (12 Defendants)
Issued to each named defendant: Eric Schmidt; Hillspire LLC; Glaser Weil Fink Howard Jordan & Shapiro LLP; Craig H. Marcus; Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.; Knox Networks, Inc. dba Knova Finance; Natalya Thakur; KPMG LLP; Google LLC; Matthew Hiltzik; Hiltzik Strategies, LLC; Rulta OÜ.
Editor’s note

Only documents on the public docket are posted here. Drafts, internal correspondence, and private arbitration filings are excluded. Where a court orders a take-down, the order itself is posted in the document’s place.

§ 04 — Press

For inquiries from the press.

Coverage will be indexed here as it runs. For interview, document, and quote requests, please use the contact details below.

◆   Coverage Index   ◆

This page will populate as coverage runs.

Press inquiries
press@michellerittercase.com
Interview, coverage, and quote requests. Default is on-record. Response window: 48 hours, Mon–Fri.
Document requests
records@michellerittercase.com
Subject line: case number + filing requested.
Interviews
[Contact information to follow]
By prior arrangement only.
Notice

This site is a public-record resource maintained for journalistic and informational purposes. It is not legal advice, does not create an attorney-client relationship, and does not solicit confidential communications. Privileged or confidential information should not be transmitted to the addresses listed above.

§ 05 — About

About the plaintiff.

A brief biography. The substantive case record is on the other pages of this site.

Michelle Ritter is a founder, technology investor, and operator. She is the founder of Steel Perlot, a venture platform that built and seeded an AI-infrastructure portfolio. Prior to founding Steel Perlot, she was a JD/MBA candidate at Columbia Law School and Columbia Business School, where she founded Audem in May 2020.

[Editor’s note — this section will carry an approved long-form biography. The placeholder above sets the tone: restrained, factual, third-person. To be replaced with vetted copy covering education, prior roles, board positions, portfolio, publications, and operator-frame credentials. No litigation language belongs on this page; that record is on the other pages of this site.]

At a glance
Education
Columbia Law & Columbia Business School
Founded
Audem · Steel Perlot
Sector focus
AI infrastructure & sovereign capital
Boards
[Placeholder]
Michelle Ritter
Michelle RitterApr. 2026