Recently, David Ellefson , bassist for Megadeth , has been in the spotlight due to a controversy involving his name.
In the early hours of Monday, the 10th, an Instagram using a pseudonym posted a series of stories claiming that Dave, 56, had been having an online relationship with a young woman since she was 17. The relationship allegedly included video calls and intimate videos sent by David, which quickly went viral on Twitter , showing the bassist masturbating and making obscene gestures. The images and information about the affair reportedly leaked after the girl involved recorded the video calls with Ellefson and shared them with a friend, who then spread the news until it was anonymously released.
In response to the harassment accusations, the young woman in question, now 19 years old, used her own Instagram account to state that the relationship between the two was always consensual and that she initiated the contact. She also reportedly stated that she was not a minor when she began having online relations with Ellefson and emphasized: “It was all consensual, I am not a victim and I was not coerced in any way, since I was the one who initiated [the conversations].”
David Ellefson himself, married and with children, used his personal Instagram profile to repost the young woman's text and comment on the controversy. In the caption, David wrote: “While this is something I am not proud of, these were adult and private interactions that were taken out of context and manipulated to inflict maximum damage to my reputation, my career, and my family. The other person involved has already spoken out, as you can see below. I thank her for doing so and hope this clarifies that the situation was nothing like what was presented.”
Ellefson's behavior shocked Megadeth fans, mainly due to the shocking age difference between the musician and the young woman involved, who is younger than Dave's own 22-year-old daughter. On Monday night, Megadeth issued a statement via Twitter: “When it comes to creativity and business, we are familiar with each other. However, there are clearly aspects of David's private life that he has kept to himself. As the situation unfolds, it is important that all voices are heard clearly and respectfully. We hope that the truth will come to light.”
David Ellefson's family has not yet commented on the incident, but his daughter, Athena Grace Ellefson , has unfollowed her father on Instagram.
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