Sequoia Capital partner Michael Goguen has left the U.S. venture capital firm following a lawsuit by a woman alleging she was sexually abused by Goguen for more than 13 years.
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The lawsuit was filed by Amber Laurel Baptiste against Goguen on March 8, claiming that he abused her “sexually, physically and emotionally for over 13 years”.
According to the suit, in 2012, Goguen promised to pay her $40 million.
In the cross-complaint accusing Baptiste of extortion, Goguen’s lawyers say Baptiste threatened to make up lies about him unless he paid. “Ms. Baptiste submitted to Mr. Goguen’s constant sexual abuse, relying on his promise that he would help her break free of the human traffickers who held her in perpetual debt”.
Baptiste claims the first $10 million installment was paid, but Goguen failed to pay the remaining $30 million.
Sequoia Capital is one of the largest venture capital firms in Silicon Valley, and was an early investor in Apple, Google and other major tech companies.
Goguen said this about the lawsuit and countersuit: “This entire matter is purely personal and has no connection whatsoever to Sequoia or my years of work at Sequoia…my departure allows me to focus with full force on clearing my name and vigorously pursuing justice”. “Still, we decided his departure was appropriate”, it said. When news of the lawsuit broke, Sequoia reportedly severed its relationship with Goguen.
Goguen and Baptiste allegedly met at a Texas strip club and struck up a relationship, which the initial complaint describes in detail as “abusive” and the cross-complaint describes as a “kind and mutually loving relationship”.
Goguen has filed a countersuit against her, calling her “exotic dancer… looking for a payday”.
Superior Court of California San Mateo County Amber Baptiste detailed a long run of alleged wrongs done by Guoguen, though he claims that she is seeking vengeance after being scorned. Baptiste “concluded that if she could not have Mr. Goguen’s heart, at least she could have his money”, the attorneys state.
His team claims that the 2014 settlement was the product of extortion and blackmail, and that Baptiste violated the no-contact clause with a “campaign of harassment” and thousands of vitriolic text messages.
The former stripper said Mr Goguen made her endure demeaning sexual acts, sodomised her for “six hours at a time”, and forced her to call him “king” and “emperor”.
His contributions include Two Bear Air, a search and rescue resource and aviation program that includes two helicopters that serve the Pacific Northwest.
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Sequoia Capital was itself embroiled in a controversy over gender, when partner Mike Moritz declared his company would not “lower our standards” to meet gender equality targets.
