Megadeth have issued a statement regarding a story in which bassist David Ellefson admitted to “embarrassing” online interactions with a young woman while denying allegations that he groomed her.
To quickly recap, the 56-year-old Ellefson released his own statement on Instagram early Monday addressing a leaked video that showed the bassist engaged in a sexually explicit online encounter with a young woman. The veteran metal musician, who has been married for 27 years, admitted to the “private, adult interactions” while also sharing a statement from the woman herself, who revealed that she was not underage. She added, “It was all consensual, I’m not a victim and I have not been groomed in the slightest, as I was the one to initiate it.”
After the story made headlines throughout the day, Megadeth addressed the matter with a band statement in the evening, acknowledging the situation while maintaining they were unaware of certain “aspects of David’s private life”:
“We are aware of the recent statements regarding David Ellefson, and are watching developments closely. As it relates to creativity and business, we are all familiar with one another. However, there are clearly aspects of David’s private life that he has kept to himself. As this situation unfolds, it is important that all voices be heard clearly and respectfully. We look forward to the truth coming to light.”
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Along with frontman Dave Mustaine, Ellefson is a founding member of Megadeth, remaining with the band from 1983 through 2002 and rejoining the group in 2010.
The legendary thrash outfit is getting set to release its as-yet-unannounced follow-up to 2016’s Dystopia, and will embark on a co-headlining North American tour with Lamb of God beginning in August.
As Megadeth review the matter internally, Ellefson has since made his Instagram account private. The band statement can be seen in the tweet below.
— Megadeth (@Megadeth) May 11, 2021
