49 of the biggest scandals in Uber's history

• Uber went public on Friday, May 10, in one of the biggest IPOs ever, but news hasn't always been so rosy for the company.
• Over the years, Uber has been plagued by a long list of scandals, ranging from reports of sexual harassment to aggressive strategies to take down the competition. 
• Here's a look back at the biggest scandals that have rocked the company over the last decade. 
• Read more stories like this on the Business Insider homepage.

Uber went public on Friday, May 10, in one of the biggest IPOs in history. The major move paints a rosy picture for the company but over the years a series of scandals helped define the thriving organization's legacy as one mired in scandal.

Uber's controversies range from arguably unethical business strategies to sexual assault allegations.

Here's a look back at the scandals the came before Uber went public at an initial market cap of $75.5 billion.

Biz Carson, Julie Bort, and Graham Rapier contributed reporting to this story. 

SEE ALSO: How Uber reportedly tried to keep the lid on the data breach that affected 57 million people

October 2010: UberCab receives its first cease and desist

According to New York Magazine's extensive list of Uber's ups and downs, the company's first scandal came before the startup changed its name from UberCab to Uber. Four months after launching in San Francisco, the San Francisco Metro Transit Authority & the Public Utilities Commission of California issued a cease and desist order. 

UberCab changed its name to Uber. Six years later, San Francisco would have roughly 45,000 Uber drivers, compared to just 2,026 licensed taxis. 

January 2012: Uber gets slammed in its first major surge pricing backlash

Uber told customers that prices would increase due to increased demand on New Years Eve. However, people were still furious when they were forced to pay three to six-times the normal amount to get a ride. 

November 2012: Prices soar during Hurricane Sandy

With most public transportation down in New York City, Ubers were in high demand, leading to prices doubling. After being accused to price gouging, the company made prices revert back to normal, while continuing to pay drivers two times the rate.