Former Ubisoft executives Tommy François, Serge Hascoët, and Guillaume Patrux were found guilty of “moral and sexual harassment and attempted sexual assault” at the conclusion of a hearing on July 2.
What became known as the ‘Ubisoft Scandal’ started in 2020, and it was discovered that Ubisoft was fostering a party-like atmosphere featuring alleged harassment and potential assault. Now, five years later, the three executives who resigned—Tommy François, Serge Hascoët, and Guillaume Patrux—have been sentenced.
Ubisoft Scandal Trial Finds Executives Found Guilty
The sexual harassment trial began on June 2. It would determine the fate of the three executives who were found to be at the heart of the scandal.
According to Libération: “Tommy François, Serge Hascoët and Guillaume Patrux were found guilty of moral and sexual harassment and attempted sexual assault by the Bobigny criminal court on Wednesday, July 2.”
The report states that the court “Handed down suspended sentences of up to three years in prison against three of the video game giant’s former executives.” Given the nature of the suspended sentence verdict, this means that none of the executives will serve prison time—unless they commit any further offences, in which case the court has the jurisdiction to enforce jail time.
Liberation continued: “The most heavily sentenced is the former vice-president of the editorial department, Tommy François. He received a three-year suspended prison sentence and a fine of 30,000 euros, the sentence requested by the prosecutor for the charges of moral and sexual harassment and attempted sexual assault.”
Serge Hascoët was given a suspended eighteen-month sentence and a 45,000 Euro fine.
Whereas former game director Guillaume Patrux: “Was sentenced to twelve months in prison with a suspended sentence and a fine of 10,000 euros for his violent and intimidating behavior towards the small team where he worked.”
Behavior from the three individuals included “Sexist jokes, humiliations, and uncomfortable or vulgar behavior towards certain employees.” The claims support the early indications that the HQ had a “Boys’ club atmosphere.”
Is this sentence enough? Should stiffer action have been taken to prevent future instances of workplace harassment? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments and take the conversation to the Insider Gaming forum.
If you’re after more gaming news, read Phil Spencer’s memo to staff about upcoming Microsoft and Xbox layoffs, because this is amid reports that Microsoft is expected to lay off up to 9000 employees, including Xbox Staff.
Andy is Insider Gaming's Senior Evergreen Editor and has been in the games journalism sphere in one way or another for over 7 years. His video game taste is as…
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