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[Kotaku] Former Gearbox Lawyer Accuses CEO Randy Pitchford Of Taking Secret $12 Million Bonus In Lawsuit Gearbox Calls 'Absurd'

dex3108

dex3108

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Oct 26, 2017
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Mod Edit:


The former general counsel of game studio Gearbox (Borderlands, Aliens: Colonial Marines) and CEO Randy Pitchford are suing one another in a messy legal battle that sees both men accused of violating their legal duties to the company. The suit against Pitchford is full of sensational allegations, including the accusation that the Gearbox CEO received a secret $12 million bonus from publisher Take-Two Interactive as an advance against Borderlands profits.

Wade Callender, who served as Gearbox's lawyer from 2010 until 2018, filed a suit on December 21, 2018 accusing Pitchford of violating various contracts involving both Gearbox and a separate real estate company that they both owned, as well as Callender's own employment contract.

"The allegations made by a disgruntled former employee are absurd, with no basis in reality or law," said a Gearbox spokesperson in a statement to Kotaku. "We look forward to addressing this meritless lawsuit in court and have no further comment at this time."
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Callender's most lurid allegation against Pitchford is an accusation surrounding an event that he says occurred in 2014. Callender says that Pitchford left a USB drive in a Dallas, Texas restaurant containing sensitive corporate documents for Gearbox and its partners including 2K Games, Sega, Sony, Microsoft, and others. Says the lawsuit: "Upon information and belief, Randy Pitchford's USB drive also contained Randy Pitchford's personal collection of 'underage' pornography."

Callender also accuses Pitchford of holding parties in which "adult men have reportedly exposed themselves to minors, to the amusement of Randy Pitchford."
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https://kotaku.com/former-gearbox-lawyer-accuses-ceo-randy-pitchford-of-ta-1831679539
 
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GrantDaNasty

GrantDaNasty

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Oct 27, 2017
2,986
giphy.gif


Edit: Reading the allegation about the USB drive contents...maybe the gif is in bad taste now that I think of it.
 
chadskin

chadskin

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Oct 27, 2017
11,013
Callender's most lurid allegation against Pitchford is an accusation surrounding an event that he says occurred in 2014. Callender says that Pitchford left a USB drive in a Dallas, Texas restaurant containing sensitive corporate documents for Gearbox and its partners including 2K Games, Sega, Sony, Microsoft, and others. Says the lawsuit: "Upon information and belief, Randy Pitchford's USB drive also contained Randy Pitchford's personal collection of 'underage' pornography."
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Boy oh boy.
 
Vire

Vire

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Oct 27, 2017
5,591
Wait hold up, forget the 12 mil...

Child pornography? What the fuck...
 
RumbleHumble

RumbleHumble

Member
Oct 27, 2017
7,128
The 12 million should be pretty easy to prove/disprove. The child porn allegations though, that's one hell of a claim, and they better hope they have the evidence for it.
 

Deleted member 6235

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
8,447
The second reply on the Kotaku article sums up my thoughts about the accusation of the child pornography stuff:

How would you know if the hard drive had child porn on it?

And if you knew, why didn't you report him? It's kids.
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Like, why the fuck wouldn't you report him earlier if you caught that up.
 
Rodjer

Rodjer

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Jan 28, 2018
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"Upon information and belief, Randy Pitchford's USB drive also contained Randy Pitchford's personal collection of 'underage' pornography."
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EXCUSE ME WHAT THE FUCK?!

Are you fucking serious randy? Holy shit
 

HockeyBird

Member
Oct 27, 2017
12,585
Randy secretly stashing his pockets is something I expect. Child pornography however,....well damn.
 
Muffin

Muffin

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Oct 26, 2017
10,339
Burying the lede with that title

Edit: Not criticism of OP, it's Kotakus title after all.
 
Dest

Dest

Has seen more 10s than EA ever will
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Jun 4, 2018
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Somehow not surprised by any of this. Suppose we'll see how it plays out. Regardless, I think Randy can get off the bus for good.
 
Fisty

Fisty

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Oct 25, 2017
20,207
That USB accusation seems like an easy way to lose a lawsuit and be counter-sued if he doesnt have proof. I wonder if that lawyer is representing himself, because I don't think a legitimate lawyer would allow that claim to be a part of the lawsuit without hard evidence.
 

Deleted member 13645

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Those are some crazy allegations, doesn't seem like the type you'd make without having strong evidence. Especially accusing someone of possession of child pornography.
 
ramoisdead

ramoisdead

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Oct 25, 2017
19,525
Whether if it's true or not, just leave Randy. Go crawl back from under the rock you came from.
 
RexNovis

RexNovis

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Oct 25, 2017
4,152
Wow at the allegations of child pornography. Randy Pitchford is as slimy as they come So lining his own pockets is hardly surprising but that was not something I expected to read at all. Kotaku really buried the lede with this story.
 
ShinobiBk

ShinobiBk

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Dec 28, 2017
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Those are some extreme accusations that need to be investigated.

I'll hold judgment for now until we hear something more concrete.



I won't lie though I can in ready to call Randy a dirtbag and had to hold off after I read the more serious stuff. That's beyond disgusting but needs to be proven
 
NotLiquid

NotLiquid

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Oct 25, 2017
34,748
Me reading the topic title to me reading deeper into the actual story

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bye Randy
 
AntiMacro

AntiMacro

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Oct 27, 2017
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Alberta
The whole story makes me wonder how much of any of this is true. He's being sued, so he counter sues and includes child porn allegations from 2014? Why didn't he report it then?
 
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