Megadeth have officially ended their relationship with bassist David Ellefson.
Two weeks ago, videos were released via social media involving Megadeth bassist David Ellefson in a ‘sex scandal’. Since the initial leak of the videos, Ellefson and the woman involved have both made statements (read below). Now, Megadeth has officially announced that Ellefson is no longer in the band. A statement from Dave Mustaine was posted to Megadeth socials reading:
“We are informing our fans that David Ellefson is no longer playing with Megadeth and that we are officially parting ways with him.
“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.”
UPDATE: David Ellefson has released a statement via Rolling Stone since parting with Megadeth:
“Recently, a very private video was illegally posted on the internet and false allegations were made against me. The actions in the video were between two consenting adults and were recorded without my knowledge. I am working with Scottsdale Police Department in their investigation into charges regarding revenge pornography to be filed against the person who posted this video. Also, my lawyers are preparing a defamation lawsuit to be filed against this person. This person will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
I am taking this time to be with my family. I wish my bandmates the best with their upcoming tour.”
Earlier this month, explicit video footage and sexual messages involving Ellefson were posted to Twitter. Ellefson later released a statement via Instagram in which he shared a post from the woman involved and denied all social media rumors that he “groomed” an underage fan.
Dear Fans & Friends,
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.
Humbly Yours,
David Ellefson
The post was accompanied by a screenshot from the woman’s social feed in which she denied any suggestions that she was underage at the time. She also stated that she recorded the video and had shared it with a friend without Ellefson’s consent. She also claimed that the contact between her and Ellefson was “all consensual and all online.” She called the claims that she was “groomed” by Ellefson “misinformation.”
“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.”
That post was followed by a statement from Megadeth which read:
“We are aware of the recent statements regarding David Ellefson, and are 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.”
— Megadeth (@Megadeth) May 11, 2021
