The Complaint
Kayleen Fulton, a former employee of the Ethereum Foundation, has sued the organization and co-founder Vitalik Buterin. The complaint was filed November 4 in the U.S. District Court for Colorado and names six defendants. Fulton alleges retaliation and disability discrimination tied to her termination. The case puts attention on how a major blockchain group handled internal dissent and an employee’s cancer disclosure.
The Mandate Dispute
The dispute traces back to February 2026. According to the complaint, the Foundation introduced a mandate that asked employees to affirm its organizational direction. The document included a pledge that referenced ritual suicide, which drew opposition from staff. Fulton says 79 employees supported removing that language. Management then required employees to personally endorse the mandate. Fulton and colleague Trent Van Epps organized a letter signed by 53 employees who opposed a compulsory endorsement.
Terminations and Buterin’s Alleged Remarks
Fulton disclosed her ovarian cancer diagnosis to management on March 24 and asked for employment protection, the lawsuit says. On April 6, the Foundation terminated Fulton and Van Epps. Fulton claims management gave no performance-related reason for her dismissal. The complaint also points to a recorded conversation in which Buterin allegedly defended the decision. He reportedly worried that rewarding internal controversy could encourage employees to influence organizational decisions. That account, if proven, could matter to the retaliation claim. It may also raise questions about leadership accountability at the Foundation.
What Comes Next
Fulton seeks damages under federal disability and employment laws. The court has not established the allegations, and the defendants’ liability remains unresolved. For now, the lawsuit is a set of claims that still must be tested through legal process. It does raise practical questions for blockchain organizations: how they handle employee objections, medical disclosures, and internal policy fights when those disputes become public. The Foundation has not yet had its day in court on these claims, and the complaint is one side of the story.
