A former Ethereum Foundation employee has sued Vitalik Buterin and the organization, alleging they punished her for challenging management. Kayleen Fulton, who worked as the foundation’s Protocol Support lead, says her dismissal followed an internal dispute over a controversial employee mandate.
The disagreement became particularly personal after she disclosed an ovarian cancer diagnosis while opposing management’s demand for staff endorsement.
Controversial Seppuku Mandate Divides Ethereum Foundation Employees
The dispute began on February 25, 2026, when foundation leadership circulated a 38-page document outlining its long-term organisational direction. One provision, the Source Seppuku License, included a pledge to die by sword. The language unsettled employees, particularly because it referenced a colleague who had died by suicide previously.
According to Fulton’s complaint, 79 employees voted to remove the provision, raising objections to its inclusion in an official workplace document. Buterin reportedly promised changes, yet the March 13 revision retained the language inside an illustration rather than removing it.
The disagreement intensified when co-executive director Bastian Aue reportedly instructed employees to affirm the mandate or face presumed resignation. Staff were given the choice to endorse its direction or request additional compensation before leaving the organization. Aue described the controversial wording as artistic expression rather than a literal instruction, but opposition continued.
Fulton and colleague Trent Van Epps subsequently organized a letter signed by 53 Protocol cluster members opposing compulsory endorsement. Their message supported the foundation’s broader direction but rejected being forced to sign, making clear nobody had voluntarily resigned.
Cancer Diagnosis and Employee Protest Precede Dismissal
For Fulton, the workplace dispute unfolded alongside a deeply personal medical challenge that would later become central to her lawsuit. Her complaint states that she received an ovarian cancer diagnosis on March 19 and informed management five days later.
Fulton explained that treatment was beginning but maintained she could continue performing her responsibilities at the foundation. On March 25, Fulton and Van Epps submitted their colleagues’ letter, initially allowing all 53 signatories to retain their positions. However, management dismissed both organizers on April 6, twelve days after Fulton’s medical disclosure.
Fulton alleges that the timing indicates retaliation and disability discrimination, rather than an ordinary organizational employment decision. Her complaint names Buterin, Aue, Stiftung Ethereum and three additional entities connected to the employment arrangements.
She is pursuing claims involving disability discrimination, retaliation, medical leave protections, and alleged violations of Colorado employment law.
Chris Lion | November 9, 2026
Jonathan Agozie | November 9, 2026
