Activision Blizzard sued over claims sexual harassment contributed to employee’s death

According to a Washington Post report, the parents of an Activision Blizzard employee who died by suicide during a 2017 company retirement are suing the company for wrongful death. Paul and Janet Moynihan, the parents of Kerri Moynihan, a 32-year-old finance executive at Activision Blizzard, say sexual harassment was a "significant factor" in her death. Investigators concluded Moynihan's death was a suicide after she was found dead in a hotel room at the Disney Grand Californian Hotel & Spa in April 2017.

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As noted by The Post, Moynihan was mentioned anonymously in the lawsuit filed by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) last July, which is suing Activision Blizzard for allegedly promoting a toxic culture of "sexual harassment." persistent". The DFEH complaint alleges that her male colleagues circulated a photo of her vagina at a Christmas party before her death. When the lawsuit was filed, Activision Blizzard said DFEH's claims were "distorted and in many cases untrue."

A copy of the new lawsuit, seen by The Post, alleges that Activision Blizzard "encouraged and permitted a work environment where sexual harassment was pervasive" and failed to "prevent such harassment." Moynihan boss Greg Restituito is also accused of hiding his sexual relationship with Moynihan from investigators. Restituito worked as Senior CFO at Activision Blizzard until May 2017, a month after Moynihan died by suicide.

According to the lawsuit, Activision Blizzard allegedly refused to allow police access to phones and laptops issued by Moynihan's and Restituito's companies during the investigation into Moynihan's death.

Activision Blizzard has been embroiled in the controversy since last year's lawsuit. Months after employees went on strike to protest workplace discrimination, the Wall Street Journal published a bombshell report claiming Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick knew of sexual misconduct endemic to the company – Kotick still remains CEO after staff and shareholders called for his resignation. In January, Microsoft announced its next acquisition of Activision Blizzard, with Kotick remaining CEO of the company until the deal closes in 2023.