Paris Hilton-Backed Metaverse Company Settles Sexual Harassment Lawsuits

Crypto metaverse agency Everyrealm has settled three sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuits filed final yr. 

Former Oakland Raiders NFL participant Teyo Johnson beforehand labored at Everyrealm as a strategic partnerships director and alleged that Everyrealm CEO Janine Yorio dedicated verbal sexual harassment and racial discrimination in opposition to him.

Johnson’s lawsuit alleged that Yorio made feedback “implying that Ms. Yorio owned Mr. Johnson” and allegedly made derogatory feedback in opposition to Black staff, together with Johnson, amongst different complaints.

Everyrealm, which is backed by large title celebrities akin to Will Smith, The Weeknd, and Paris Hilton, denied the claims and beforehand instructed Decrypt that the allegations “are with out advantage.”

Johnson has now settled the go well with with Everyrealm and has publicly apologized, in line with the corporate. Everyrealm pays Johnson $51,456 as an alternative of the $1.9 million Johnson sought in his lawsuit.

Everyrealm’s board of administrators issued a press release shared with Decrypt that backs the agency’s CEO in response to the lawsuit’s decision.

“Our confidence in Janine Yorio as an moral and efficient CEO has by no means wavered. The person behind these claims now overtly ‘regrets’ remarks made in ‘the warmth of litigation,’ a public acknowledgment that the allegations don’t replicate Janine’s character or Everyrealm’s tradition,” the board said.

“For the previous yr, we now have staunchly defended our place in court docket and are happy to have resolved this challenge favorably. We stay up for persevering with to construct an organization that creates revolutionary options for avid social players, and our conviction within the enterprise and Ms. Yorio’s management is as robust as ever,” Everyrealm’s board added. 

Johnson wasn’t the one former Everyrealm worker who filed a lawsuit in opposition to the corporate and its CEO final yr. Former HR Director Katherine Yost alleged that she was discriminated in opposition to due to her disclosed disabilities, bisexual identification, and claimed that an worker with autism had been known as “the group mascot.” Former Everyrealm product supervisor Gatsby Frimpong additionally filed a go well with in opposition to the agency, alleging sexual harassment. 

Each Johnson and Yost had additionally claimed that they have been being paid lower than their white, male counterparts at Everyrealm. 

Yost’s lawsuit was voluntarily dismissed, in line with court docket paperwork. The New York Put up reported that Yost has been paid $38,847.79 and Frimpong has been paid $37,616.37 to resolve their fits. In complete, the sum of funds made on account of the three lawsuits quantities to $127,920.16.

Seppinni LLP, the agency that filed the three lawsuits, didn’t instantly reply to Decrypt’s request for remark.