Company investigating 'deeply concerning allegations'
Crypto trading firm DWF Labs has dismissed one of its partners who was accused of inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour towards a job applicant.
The partner, who was not named by the organisation, has been accused of spiking the drink of a job applicant during a supposed meeting on October 24.
In a statement, DWF Labs said it has been made aware of the "deeply concerning allegations" and announced the dismissal of the partner involved in the incident.
"While the matter is under investigation, DWF Labs has decided to dismiss the said partner from management and operational roles effective immediately," the organisation said on X.
"We will continue to monitor the situation and stand in solidarity with individuals affected by such incidents, as we believe in justice and support for all."
Meanwhile, DWF Labs has also named Lingling Jiang to lead the company's strategic initiatives in Business Development in light of the recent changes.
"We are confident that Lingling's expertise and leadership will play a crucial role in shaping our strategic direction," said Andrei Grachev, Managing Partner of DWF Labs, in a separate statement.
The former partner's dismissal came after drugging allegations emerged from an individual named Hana on social media platform X.
"On the evening of October 24th, I was drugged by a partner at @DWFLabs at a bar in HK. I have reported this to the local police and have collected video evidence of him spiking my drink," she said on the platform.
According to Hana, the partner previously approached her several times, offering her a job opportunity for a project that perfectly fit her background.
"As someone new to crypto, and eager to learn, I accepted his invitation," she said.
During their meeting, Hana claimed that she was informed by a waitress that her drink had been spiked, with the partner later attempting to lure her to his suite as she attempted to leave the place.
She later lodged a report at the local police station and gathered CCTV footage from the venue, where she saw that the partner spiked her drink "multiple times."
"I was shocked and couldn't believe someone like him could do something so horrible," Hana recalled on X. "I'm lucky enough to have been saved by the waitress but I want to expose this creep so that no other girls will fall victim to him."
"Even in seemingly professional settings, women are not always safe. Always keep an eye on your drink and trust your instinct, no matter who you are with."
Meanwhile, the partner involved in the case was also later revealed to be the co-founder of OpenEden, which also terminated his employment after the accusations emerged.
"We have formally terminated the employment of the individual involved with OpenEden. We reiterate that the individual in question no longer represents us," the company said on X. "OpenEden takes these allegations seriously, and does not condone the personal actions of this individual."
Jeremy Ng, CEO of OpenEden, said in a separate statement that they hold the company's stakeholders and leadership to high ethical and moral standards.
"I would reiterate that the events of last week were not linked to or associated with the company or reflective of its work culture," Ng said.
The CEO added that the individual's removal from the business does not affect their operations, legal and regulatory status, as well as infrastructure partners.
