Megadeth co-founder David Ellefson has been kicked out of the band following allegations of sexual misconduct.
“We are informing our fans that David Ellefson is no longer playing with Megadeth and that we are officially parting ways with him,” read a statement from frontman Dave Mustaine on social media on Monday. “We do not take this decision lightly. While we do not know every detail of what occurred, with an already strained relationship, what has already been revealed now is enough to make working together impossible moving forward.
“We look forward to seeing our fans on the road this summer, and we cannot wait to share our brand new music with the world. It is almost complete.”
The statement follows one on May 10 in which Megadeth said it was “watching developments closely” and looking forward “to the truth coming to light.”
Ellefson was quick to deny accusations that he groomed a minor after private messages and videos surfaced online. The 56-year-old musician, who is a married father of two adult children, insisted the clips were “private, adult interactions that were taken out of context and manipulated to inflict maximum damage to my reputation, my career and family.”
Ellefson also shared a screenshot of a statement allegedly from the female in the videos stating that she her relationship with Ellefson was “all consensual and all online” and she was “always a consenting adult.” She added: “I’m not a victim and I have not been groomed in the slightest as I was the one to initiate it.”
Ellefson, who co-founded Megadeth with Mustaine in 1983, left the band in 2002 but returned in 2010.