Kayleen Fulton Files Colorado Lawsuit Against Ethereum Foundation
A former protocol support lead has filed a federal lawsuit in Colorado against the Ethereum Foundation and co-founder Vitalik Buterin, alleging unlawful termination following a dispute over a controversial mandate requiring employees to pledge ritual suicide for code violations, tomshardware.com reported.
Kayleen Fulton, also known as “Nixo,” filed the complaint on November 4, 2026. The legal action names the Ethereum Foundation, its Singapore affiliate, executive Bastian Aue, and Vitalik Buterin as defendants. The dismissal occurred on April 6, 2026, after Fulton disclosed an ovarian cancer diagnosis and helped organize pushback against the organization’s mandate.
The Source Seppuku License Controversy
Distributed to roughly 250 employees in early 2026, the 38-page Ethereum Foundation Mandate outlined a 1,000-year vision for the nonprofit. Page 11 featured the “Source Seppuku License,” which demanded that software contributors vow to take their own lives with a sword if they failed to maintain open-source transparency or modified the license.
looks like @nixorokish is suing the Ethereum Foundation about her Mandate-related firing it's an interesting doc b/c (if allegations, including alleged recording of Vitalik without his consent, are true) it confirms a lot of rumors that were swirling around the Mandate my take:…
Resistance among staff was swift. Approximately 80 employees initially voted against the suicide pledge, with some raising concerns because a colleague had died by suicide the previous year. When the final version was published on March 13, 2026, the pledge remained as an illustration rather than body text. Executive Bastian Aue argued that the seppuku reference was not meant to be taken literally, a sentiment echoed by Vitalik Buterin.
Fulton and Van Epps Face Termination After Organizing Response Letter
Fulton and colleague Trent Van Epps organized a response letter endorsing the Foundation’s general direction while rejecting the troubling conditions. The letter gathered 53 signatures. Despite the pushback, Fulton and her co-organizer were terminated on April 6, 2026. The lawsuit claims interference with Family and Medical Leave Act rights, noting Fulton informed leadership of her cancer diagnosis on March 24, 2026.
Today, the EF is changing shape, concluding a months-long process of reorganization as part of the implementation of the Mandate and the Treasury Management Policy. We come out of this process with the structure, activities, and people necessary for execution on the critical…
Court documents quote a May 1 conversation where Buterin stated that leadership should not reward making a stink with outcomes, according to theblock.co. By September 2026, eight senior employees had departed the nonprofit, which also underwent a broader restructuring in June that cut approximately 20% of its workforce.
Vitalik Buterin reportedly said that you should not “reward making a stink with outcomes.”
Fulton Seeks Damages Following Organizational Restructuring
Fulton is seeking unspecified damages and lost pay, pointing to a disputed separation agreement she claims was signed under duress. The federal court complaint details these grievances alongside broader organizational changes that restructured the Foundation into five functional work groups.
Despite her termination, cryptotimes.io notes that Ethereum developers have kept Fulton in her role organizing All Core Developers meetings.
FORMER ETHEREUM LEAD SUES VITALIK BUTERIN OVER RETALIATORY FIRING The Ethereum Foundation and co-founder Vitalik Buterin are facing a federal lawsuit from former Protocol Support lead Kayleen Fulton alleging wrongful termination and disability discrimination. Fulton claims… pic.twitter.com/4HzUdSXY3n
More on Vitalik Buterin
JUST IN: Kayleen Fulton, former head of #Ethereum Foundation's protocol support team, sues the Foundation and Vitalik Buterin for retaliatory termination and disability discrimination.
Former Ethereum Foundation Official Sues EF and Vitalik Buterin, Alleging Retaliatory Firing Over Mandate Dispute According to a complaint filed in the U. S. District Court for Colorado on November 4, former Ethereum Foundation Protocol Support lead Kayleen Fulton (Nixo) sued six… pic.twitter.com/SezoGdUG8S
🚨ALARMING: The Ethereum Foundation was sued after firing staff lead who opposed a “suicide pledge”. Former Protocol Support lead Kayleen Fulton is suing the Ethereum Foundation, Vitalik Buterin and others, alleging disability discrimination and retaliation, per Protos. -… pic.twitter.com/YOmPRRExAI
🚨 ETHEREUM FOUNDATION SUED OVER MANDATE REQUIRING EMPLOYEES TO PLEDGE TO “TAKE HIS OR HER OWN LIFE WITH A SWORD” Former Ethereum Foundation employee Kayleen Fulton alleges she was fired just 13 days after disclosing her ovarian cancer diagnosis and 12 days after organizing… pic.twitter.com/7hiJuRbVaW
