Explosive Revelations: Shocking Arrest of Top Ubisoft Executives in High-Profile Sexual Harassment Scandal
French authorities arrest five former Ubisoft executives following an extensive investigation into allegations of sexual harassment at the renowned gaming company
Highlights
Five former Ubisoft executives have been arrested in connection with an investigation into sexual harassment allegations at the company.
The arrests are connected to a lawsuit brought forth by French union Solidaires Informatique, alleging Ubisoft's involvement in pervasive sexual misconduct. These claims originated from a surge of abuse allegations against high-ranking Ubisoft employees during the summer of 2020, resulting in suspensions and terminations.
Five former executives from Ubisoft have been arrested in connection with an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment within the company. These arrests are linked to the 2021 lawsuit filed against Ubisoft by the French union Solidaires Informatique, which accuses the company of pervasive sexual misconduct.
The lawsuit emerged following a series of harassment and abuse allegations against senior officials at Ubisoft during the summer of 2020. In response to these accusations, Ubisoft suspended various executives and initiated a third-party investigation into the claims. The investigation resulted in the termination of several high-profile individuals. Additionally, French authorities launched their own inquiry after the publication of an in-depth report by the Paris-based newspaper Liberation, which included 20 corroborating testimonies of workplace abuse at Ubisoft.
That case has led to the arrests of five former Ubisoft executives, as reported by Liberation. Three arrests were made on October 3, while the other two were taken into custody today. The detainees include Serge Hascoet, the former Ubisoft CCO who resigned in July 2020 due to allegations of misconduct. Hascoet, who was the second in command at the company, is accused of enabling Tommy Francois, the former VP of Editorial and Creative Services at Ubisoft, who served as Hascoet's right-hand man.
Francois has been accused by multiple individuals of regularly engaging in predatory behavior. One account details a sexual assault that took place at a company Christmas party in 2015. According to the account, the former Ubisoft executive forcefully attempted to kiss an employee while she was being held by members of his team. After a struggle, she managed to escape and reported the incident to her manager the next day. However, her manager dismissed the incident as a misinterpreted joke. Francois was also arrested in early October, along with three other individuals whose identities are currently unknown.
In response to the misconduct allegations, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot initially placed blame on his subordinates, stating that "certain individuals betrayed the trust" he had placed in them. However, he has since pledged to take strong action against any form of abuse within the company. Guillemot expressed this commitment in an email to employees sent in October 2020.
The Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices initiated an investigation into Ubisoft Singapore within a year, following a separate set of allegations regarding sexual misconduct and discrimination at the Far Eastern studio. This inquiry followed a union lawsuit, mentioned earlier, which stated that three managers involved in the initial scandal were still employed at Ubisoft Montreal over a year after the scandal first emerged.
