Activision Blizzard has been hit with another lawsuit from a former employee who alleges the company was awash with harassment and discrimination against women in the workplace.
The lawsuit is detailed on Kotaku (though it was first reported by The Daily Mail). It states that the new lawsuit alleges that Activision Blizzard fostered a "workplace culture that is a breeding ground for harassment and discrimination against women." Filed in Los Angeles, the plaintiff, simply identified as Jane Doe, levies the lawsuit at Activision Blizzard itself and a former employee, Miguel Vega.
Doe is being represented by Lisa Bloom, a high-profile lawyer who states that she is representing eight different women bringing claims against Activision Blizzard.
We filed another sexual harassment lawsuit against Activision Blizzard on Friday.We currently represent 8 women with sexual harassment claims against this company. If you or someone you know was a victim of its rampant frat boy culture, please contact me.https://t.co/utVJnmvTIv
— Lisa Bloom (@LisaBloom) October 11, 2022
This suit describes a situation where Vega would use his status to abuse Doe and alleges that Vega would make unwanted sexual comments towards her, as well as threaten her job if she did not consent to sex with him. According to Kotaku citing the lawsuit, Doe met Vega in 2009 or 2010 and maintained a friendship with him until she met her future husband a few years later in 2011.
However, in that time, Doe admits that she sent "compromising photos of herself" to Vega, a decision she regrets to this day. Vega, allegedly, used these photos as blackmail during their time working together at Activision Blizzard. The lawsuit states that Vega helped Doe get a gig with Activision Blizzard in 2016, and from there she was subjected to unwanted advances, harassment, and blackmail.
The lawsuit claims that once the news about the other lawsuits had come to light last year, Vega would threaten blackmail to release the compromising photos publicly if Doe ever reported him. However, Doe did, and after an investigation, Vega was terminated in September 2021.
In a statement to Kotaku, Activision Blizzard addressed the lawsuit, stating that they have "zero tolerance for this kind of misconduct." It also confirms that Vega was terminated as a result of an internal investigation.
"We take all employee concerns seriously. When the plaintiff reported her concerns, we immediately opened an investigation, and Mr. Vega was terminated within 10 days. We have no tolerance for this kind of misconduct."
Doe is calling for a full trial for both Vega and Activision Blizzard, seeking damages, legal fees, lost earnings, and more. Additionally, the lawsuit is calling for the removal of CEO Bobby Kotick from the company.
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