Megadeth bassist David Ellefson deleted his Instagram after being accused of sexual misconduct with an underage fan. Ellefson wrote on May 10th, “As you may or not know, some private and personal conversations and interactions have surfaced online, released with ill intention by a third party who was not authorized to have them or share them. While certainly embarrassing, I want to address it as openly and honestly as possible.
“As much as it’s not something I’m proud of, these were private, adult interactions that were taken out of context and manipulated to inflict maximum damage to my reputation, my career and family. The other party involved has made a statement which you can see below. I thank her for doing so and hope that this clarifies that the situation was not at all as presented.” He had a screenshot from the woman, denying any bad suggestions.
The woman said she recorded the intimate moments and shared them with a friend without Ellefson’s permission, claiming she was “naïve” for doing so. She said it was ‘all consensual.’
“Yes, those video calls did happen, but I was the one to initiate it and never was I underage, I was always a consenting adult. Nothing inappropriate ever happened before that. It was all consensual, I’m not a victim and I have not been groomed in the slightest as I was the one to initiate it.”
Megadeth said they were “aware of the recent statements regarding David Ellefson” and indicated that it was “watching developments closely. As it relates to creativity and business, we are all familiar with one another. However, there are clearly aspects of David’s private life that he has kept to himself. As this situation unfolds, it is important that all voices be heard clearly and respectfully. We look forward to the truth coming to light.”
