Megadeth announced this Monday, the 24th, that David Ellefson is no longer in the band. The announcement was made on the band's social media.
"We are informing our fans that David Ellefson will no longer be playing with Megadeth and that we are officially going our separate ways," the band wrote in a statement.
The news comes shortly after a scandal involving intimate videos exchanged between David Ellefson and a young woman who was allegedly underage at the time. Ellefson has remained secluded since his statement on May 10, in which he said he is not proud of his actions, but that the messages exchanged with the young woman "were adult and private interactions that were taken out of context."
Fans are calling for Jason Newsted to join Megadeth after David Ellefson's dismissal.
The anonymous source who exposed the 56-year-old bassist's extramarital affair reportedly claimed that the young woman Ellefson was involved with was only 17 years old when the interactions began, and therefore a minor. However, the girl involved, now 19, stated on her social media that she was not a minor and that the interactions between the two began at her initiative. Megadeth issued a statement at the time saying they were unaware of certain aspects of Ellefson's private life and that they hoped "the truth would come to light."
"Although we don't know all the details of what happened, given our already strained relationship, what has happened now is enough to make it impossible for us to work together."
“We’re excited to see our fans on the road this summer [winter, here in Brazil], and we can’t wait to share our new music with the world. It’s almost ready,” signed Dave Mustaine.
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