PUBG Publisher Krafton Sued For Alleged Wrongful Termination After Sexual Assualt
A former Krafton employee has sued the PUBG Battlegrounds publisher for wrongful termination, after the employee suffered a sexual assault, allegedly committed by former Krafton head of strategy and business Kevin Kimball.
According to a report from Polygon, the lawsuit was filed in December 2023 with the Los Angeles Superior Court. During an alcohol-fueled party for Krafton subsidiary Striking Distance, Kimball allegedly subjected the plaintiff, a 31-year-old woman, to sexual abuse, harassment, and assault. The lawsuit also notes that many other executives and employees in the company were aware of Kimball's behavior and reportedly did not protect the plaintiff. The plaintiff says that after she reported the sexual assualt to HR, the company fired her and refused to pay her in the aftermath.
After being fired, the plaintiff experienced "severe emotional distress," related to financial struggles after being suddenly fired as well as "great fear, disgrace, constant concern, and embarrassment." The lawsuit seeks damages for gender-based discrimination, retaliation, harassment, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and false imprisonment.
Kimball did not reply to Polygon's request for comment. A Krafton representative gave the following statement: "We treat all allegations of improper workplace conduct with the utmost seriousness. As this is an ongoing legal matter, we are unable to comment on the specifics of the case."
Kimball has since departed the company, for unknown reasons. He is currently listed as "self-employed" on his LinkedIn page.
