Nikola Tesla did not break any patents during his lifetime. Tesla was a renowned inventor and engineer who made significant contributions to the development of the alternating current (AC) electrical system, as well as a number of other inventions in fields such as electromagnetism and wireless communication.
However, Tesla was involved in several disputes over patent rights and infringement during his career. For example, Tesla and Thomas Edison were involved in a “war of currents” in the 1880s, as they competed to promote their respective electrical systems. Tesla worked for Edison for a time and then left to work for a rival company. Tesla’s former employer, Edison, is said to have launched a campaign to discredit Tesla’s AC system and spread false information about its dangers.
Tesla also had several disputes with the businessman and inventor George Westinghouse over patent rights related to the AC system. Tesla eventually sold the rights to several of his AC patents to Westinghouse, which helped to secure the success of the AC system and establish Tesla’s place in history as one of the most important contributors to the development of modern electrical technology.