Activision Blizzard Sued By Family Of Employee Who Died By Suicide

This story includes messages about sexual harassment, violence, and suicide.

After being criticized over allegations of equal pay violations, gender discrimination, and sexual harassment. Activision Blizzard is now being sued by the family of one of its former employees who committed suicide in 2017.

According to Washington Post, the family of Kerry Moynihan, former financial manager of Activision Blizzard, issued the company for her wrongful death. Moynihan was found dead during a company retreat back in 2017. The family says the sexual harassment Moynihan experienced while working at Activision Blizzard was a “significant factor” in her death by suicide. Which occurred shortly after nude images of her were circulated by her male colleagues. In a 2021 California Department of Fair Employment and Housing lawsuit that first mentions the incident. One of Moynihan’s executives was also accused of facilitating this sexual harassment by bringing sex toys on a business trip that Moynihan accompanied him on.

Moynihan’s parents

In addition to these allegations, Moynihan’s parents also accused their daughter’s boss, Greg Restituto, of lying to investigators with the Anaheim Police Department about the nature of his relationship with Moynihan. According to Moynihan’s parents, Restituto and their daughter had a sexual relationship that he “apparently tried to hide” after her death. The police report included in the lawsuit also stated that Restitutito made “seemingly unusual inquiries to other officers who were present at the Kerri the night before her death.” Moynihan’s parents also stated that after their daughter’s death, Activision Blizzard reported that Moynihan’s mobile phone was “erased”, refused to provide investigators with her company-issued laptop. And denied access to Restitutito’s laptop and mobile phone.

Shortly after reports surfaced last year of Activision Blizzard’s alleged role in Moynihan’s death. The company called the claims “misrepresented and in many cases false. Activision Blizzard then criticized the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing for mentioning the suicide, writing. We are disgusted by the reprehensible behavior of the DFEH. Which included in the complaint the tragic suicide of an employee whose death had nothing to do with it. Case and ignoring her grieving family.”

According to The Washington Post, Activision Blizzard has refused to directly respond to the allegations made in Moynihan’s lawsuit. Instead. A spokesperson said the company is “deeply saddened by the tragic death of Ms. Moynihan. Who was a valued employee of the company. We will take the complaint to the court out of respect for the family. We have no further comment at this time.