Ethereum L2 Eclipse CEO backs down amid sexual misconduct claims
Neal Somani, founder and CEO of Ethereum's layer 2 blockchain Eclipse, has said he is “temporarily stepping down” from his role as the “public face” for the company in the face of allegations of sexual misconduct.
“Last week I received serious allegations on Twitter. These allegations are false,” Somani wrote in a May 9 X post. “Serious allegations of sexual misconduct receive a serious and thoughtful response.”
He added that he had “never sexually assaulted or harassed any woman” and was “working to clear my name and defend myself”.
Eclipse's senior management was “well equipped to carry out these responsibilities and this will allow these conversations to be revealed and the truth about these allegations to come out,” he wrote.
In a May 9 X Post, Eclipse wrote that the team “takes the allegations against our CEO, Neil Somani, seriously and believes in the importance of the truth.”
Related: SEC Doesn't Want Ethereum to Change the Face of Banking, Says Joseph Lubin “Eclipse is committed to maintaining the highest personal and professional standards, including gender equality and fair treatment,” writes Joseph Lubin.
Somani and Eclipse did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In March, Eclipse said it raised a $50 million Series A round led by venture firms Hack VC and Placeholder, bringing its total capital to $65 million.
The company launched the Ethereum Layer 2 mainnet in September 2023.
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