In 2015, Gawker printed an article titled “Here Is Pedophile Billionaire Jeffrey Epstein’s Little Black Book.” It included a hyperlink to a redacted copy of Epstein’s alleged tackle e book itemizing contact information for a spread of well-known, rich, and highly effective folks. One in all them was then-Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick who ran the writer behind business defining hits like Name of Obligation and World of Warcraft. The newest trove of Epstein information launched by the Justice Division final week exhibits greater than a dozen emails allegedly shared between the 2 males.
A number of emails courting from November 2012 present Epstein attempting to arrange an alleged dinner with Kotick whereas the latter was visiting New York. Epstein had requested the gaming govt if he’d be prepared to return a day early when the actor and director Woody Allen can be out there, however one of many emails exhibits Kotick writing again to say that wasn’t attainable.
Epstein’s itinerary for that month listed a dinner with Bobby Kotick on November 18, 2012. “bobby Kotick came visiting final evening„ hes nice,” Epstein wrote to Subsequent Mannequin Administration co-founder Religion Kates on November 19, 2012. Kates unexpectedly retired final month after her identify surfaced in a previously reported batch of Epstein emails.
A consultant for Epstein proceeded to ship details about his non-public island within the Carribean, Little St. James, to Kotick on November 21, 2012. In a follow-up change on December 9, 2012, Epstein requested Kotick how the Caribbean was. Kotick allegedly wrote again, “Nice, wished would may have stopped by the island.”
Emails between the 2 have been allegedly exchanged a number of instances in 2013 as effectively. A February 24, 2013 e mail said that Epstein was in LA planning a go to to SpaceX that week and was attempting to hyperlink up with Kotick whereas on the town. “Thanks , however moderately see you,” Epstein wrote in a single e mail. “Taking women after to bel air.” Kotick at one level allegedly wrote again, “Include your pals to my home at…Bev Hills, 10 min=tes from Bel Air.”
A number of emails additionally present Epstein attempting to rearrange a tour of Activision. The corporate didn’t reply to a request for remark.
Epstein once more tried to rearrange a gathering with Kotick on the finish of April 2013. “nice… see you then i’ll deliver 3or 4 . additionally I perceive that Brian Grazer, like me ,searches for sensible fascinating folks„ are you aware him?” Epstein emailed Kotick on April 29, 2013. “Sure I do,” Kotick allegedly wrote again. A follow-up e mail from Kotick was allegedly despatched later that day. “Can we meet at 6? I’m operating late,” it learn.
The 2 allegedly exchanged extra emails the next day. “nice home, nice artwork, i’m in ny 1-6 when you’ve got time while you come,” Epstein wrote to Kotick on April 30, 2012. “Thanks. Nice friends,” Kotick allegedly wrote again. The e-mail accounts corresponded a number of instances within the days after that. “my russian visitor misssed your arrival yesterday,” Epstein wrote to Kotick in a Could 7, 2012 e mail. “And I missed her. III see you each subsequent journey,” Kotick allegedly wrote again on Could 8, 2012.
Every of those emails is dated after Epstein’s 2008 felony conviction in Florida the place he pled responsible to state prices of soliciting and procuring an individual underneath 18 for prostitution. He went on to serve a 13-month jail sentence and was added to the nationwide intercourse offender registry, for which an account belonging to him was later banned from Xbox Stay in December 2013.
Kotick allegedly exchanged emails with Epstein affiliate Ghislaine Maxwell as effectively. “You don’t ring, you don’t write. Yours coronary heart damaged Ghislain,” Maxwell wrote to Kotick in April 24, 2004. An e mail reply allegedly from Kotick learn, “Mend it collectively and convey that attractive physique that goes with it out to my city. III ring.”
Maxwell was sentenced to twenty years in jail in 2022 for what the Justice Department described as “her function in a scheme to sexually exploit and abuse a number of minor women with Jeffrey Epstein over the course of a decade.”
Kotick left Activision Blizzard in December 2023 after the corporate was acquired by Microsoft in a document $70 billion acquisition. The merger got here on the conclusion of a prolonged regulatory course of and whereas Activision Blizzard was dealing with a number of sexual misconduct lawsuits which have been finally settled with no admission of any wrongdoing.
“[N]o court docket or any unbiased investigation has substantiated any allegations that there was systemic or widespread sexual harassment at Activision Blizzard; that Activision Blizzard senior executives ignored, condoned, or tolerated a tradition of systemic harassment, retaliation, or discrimination; or that Activision Blizzard’s Board of Administrators together with its Chief Govt Officer, Robert Kotick, acted improperly with regard to the dealing with of any situations of office misconduct,” learn a press release included in one of many court-approved settlements.
