Activision Blizzard sees wrongful death suit for employee death

Olivia Richman Published 05/03/2022

Activision Blizzard’s legal woes are not over.

The Overwatch and World of Warcraft developer is being sued by the family of an employee who committed suicide after allegedly being harassed by a supervisor. The complaint, filed by Kerri Moynihan’s parents on Thursday, was first obtained by The Washington Post.

Who is Kerri Moynihan?

In the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing lawsuit from the summer of 2021, Moynihan was referenced without a name as part of the sexual harassment and gender discrimination accusations. The lawsuit claimed that the victim, Moynihan, had her naked photos passed around between male employees and was hit on by a male supervisor who brought sex toys with him on a business trip they took together.

At the time, Activision Blizzard called the claims “distorted,” going so far as to say that the company was “sickened” by the DFEH bringing the suicide into the lawsuit. Activision Blizzard stated that the suicide had “no bearing whatsoever” on the case, adding that the addition to the suit showed “no regard for her grieving family.”

But now it seems that the family is in agreement that something happened at Activision Blizzard that led to Moynihan’s death. The wrongful death lawsuit, filed by Paul and Janet Moynihan, claimed that Greg Restitutio, her former boss, lied to investigators when Moynihan was found dead in her hotel room. Restitutio allegedly left out in his discussions with authorities that he had a sexual relationship with Moynihan and continued to deny it after her death.

Restitutio left Activision Blizzard in May 2017, which was one month after Moynihan’s death according to The Washington Post. Activision Blizzard has refused to turn over Moynihan’s company-issued laptop as well as access to Restitutio’s laptop and phone, the lawsuit states.

“The harassment to which Kerri was subjected was a substantial factor in causing harm to Kerri… tragically culminating in Kerri’s death at the age of 32,” Moynihan’s parents wrote.

Neither Activision Blizzard nor Restitutio have issued any public statements following the wrongful death lawsuit going public.

Olivia Richman

About Olivia Richman

Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.

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