The co-founder of Long Beach-based Access Control Related Enterprises (ACRE) sued the security systems company and a Philadelphia private equity stakeholder alleging he was forced out for opposing a management buyout plan.

William West, who acted as chief financial officer and chief operating officer for the company he co-founded in 2012 with chief executive Joseph Grillo, filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court Monday asking for at least $15 million. He claims his firing came after he spoke out against a proposed buyout of LLR Equity Partners’ majority stake in the firm, which West alleges would have diluted his and other shareholders’ equity, and left ACRE with a crippling debt load.

“The conspiracy that furthered LLR’s personal financial interests and that

culminated in West’s ‘termination’ was coordinated by Joseph Grillo and a coterie of LLR sycophants installed to exercise unfettered LLR control over ACRE, to LLR’s short-term benefit and to the detriment of ACRE…,” the complaint reads.

When reached by telephone, Grillo declined to comment. Request for comment from LLR was not immediately returned.

The lawsuit claims the buyout plan was particular bad for ACRE because its growth strategy was largely reliant on the acquisition of other access control security firms. However, West’s protestations against distributing on-hand cash to pay for the buyout while also increasing the company’s debt was met with hostility and ultimately his firing last December, according to the complaint.

West is represented by Ekwan Rhow, a partner at Century City’s Bird Marella Boxer Wolpert Nessim Drooks Lincenberg & Rhow.

Counsel for Grillo and LLR was not immediately available.

Deals & Dealmakers reporter Henry Meier can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @henry_meier.