Laid-Off Tech Workers Allegedly Turned Their Bosses’ Houses Into EV Charging Stations While They Were at Work

SEATTLE — In a twist that sounds like something out of Silicon Valley satire, several recently laid-off tech workers are accused of quietly turning their former bosses’ homes into unintentional EV charging hubs. Their alleged tool of choice? A portable EV charger. And an app.

“They Were Selling My Electricity”

The scheme first came to light when “Mark Henderson,” a tech executive in Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood, started seeing strange activity on his home security camera. Cars were pulling into his driveway during the workday. Not one or two. Dozens.

“At first I thought it was food delivery or something,” Henderson told Outlet. “Then I saw people plugging cars into my outdoor outlet.” Drivers would pull up, connect to a charger in the driveway, wait an hour or two — and leave. The catch? Henderson hadn’t authorized any of it. “They were literally selling my electricity,” he said.

The Revenge Side Hustle

According to neighbors and online listings, the operation appears to have been organized by a group of recently laid-off tech workers. Several had worked at AI startups and cloud companies that announced layoffs earlier this year. One of them allegedly recognized Henderson’s house as belonging to a former manager. “They figured he’d be gone all day,” said a neighbor who asked not to be named. “So they just… used the power.”

The workers allegedly brought a portable Level-2 EV charger, plugged it into an exterior outlet, and listed the location on Outlet, a peer-to-peer EV charging marketplace. Drivers reserved charging time slots. Showed up. Plugged in. Paid through the app. Meanwhile, the homeowner was at the office.

Caught by the Ring Camera

The operation reportedly ran for several days before being discovered. Henderson said his Ring doorbell camera captured the moment things became obvious. “One car I understand,” he said. “But when a third Tesla showed up that afternoon, I knew something weird was going on.” Footage allegedly shows drivers arriving, plugging into a charger connected to Henderson’s outdoor outlet, and leaving after charging sessions. Neighbors say the unusual traffic finally raised suspicions.

“It looked like a gas station suddenly appeared in his driveway,” one neighbor said.

The Gig Economy… Gone Rogue?

The bizarre episode highlights how EV charging is becoming a new frontier in the gig economy. Platforms like Airbnb, Turo, and Swimply have already turned spare rooms, cars, and pools into income streams. EV charging may be the next unexpected asset. “The infrastructure is literally everywhere,” said one energy analyst. “Electricity runs to almost every building.” Which means chargers can theoretically be deployed almost anywhere power exists.

Silicon Valley Irony

The story carries an extra layer of irony. Several of the laid-off workers reportedly lost jobs tied to artificial intelligence automation. And their alleged revenge? Using electricity — and a smartphone app — to build a pop-up energy business in their former boss’s driveway. “It’s kind of brilliant, honestly,” said another neighbor. “Illegal maybe… but brilliant.”

The Lesson

For more than a century, selling fuel meant owning a gas station. Now? All it might take is a charger and an outlet. Sometimes even someone else’s.