Posted in: Games, Video Games | Tagged: Gearbox, randy pitchford, Wade Callender

Former Gearbox Lawyer Accuses CEO Randy Pitchford of Child Porn Possession

The CEO of Gearbox Publishing, Randy Pitchford, and former General Counsel, Wade Callender, are suing each other for violating their legal duties to the company. The suits include wild accusations on both sides, including Callender's allegation that Pitchford received a secret bonus from publisher Take-Two Interactive as an advance on his profits from Borderlands.

Kotaku's report includes the full text of both lawsuits, which mostly focus on financial matters between Gearbox itself, Pitchford, and Callender.

Pitchford and Gearbox Publishing are counter-suing Callender for abusing Gearbox's trust for a home loan, tuition for an MBA, and credit card privileges. Callender's suit mostly focuses on breach of contract and various forms of abuse by Pitchford including misdirection, gaslighting, and a "campaign of hostility."

However, buried in Callender's suit are two heavy allegations against Pitchford. Callender's suit claims that the Gearbox CEO leaked information on Gearbox's partner companies including 2K Games, Sega, Sony, Microsoft and others on a USB drive left in a Dallas, TX restaurant. Callender's suit reads, "Upon information and belief, Randy Pitchford's USB drive also contained Randy Pitchford's personal collection of 'underage' pornography." Callender also claims that Pitchford held parties in which "adult men have reportedly exposed themselves to minors, to the amusement of Randy Pitchford."

Kotaku's report also included a statement from a Gearbox representative that refers to all of Callender's accusations as absurd:

"The allegations made by a disgruntled former employee are absurd, with no basis in reality or law. We look forward to addressing this meritless lawsuit in court and have no further comment at this time."

Pitchford has been the subject of controversies before, from the development and marketing of Aliens: Colonial Marines to complaining about journalists doing their jobs to tweeting about Battleborn porn. However, the allegations from Callender are in a league of their own.

It is worth noting that Callender stands to gain roughly $3 Million from the suit against Pitchford and Gearbox. However, making baseless allegations of child porn possession and sexual offenses against minors does leave him open for disbarment based on the Texas Bar Association's punishments for Professional Misconduct.

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