Former senior Ubisoft staff convicted in French harassment case, receive fines and suspended sentences

Three former senior Ubisoft employees – including one-time chief creative officer and second-in-command Serge Hascoet – have received suspended prison sentences and fines from a French court after being found guilty of harassment prior to their departure five years ago.

Hascoet – along with Ubisoft’s former editorial boss Tommy François and game director Guillaume Patrux – appeared in a French court earlier this year, accused of psychological and sexual harassment during their time at the company. All three left Ubisoft in 2020, as part of a wave of resignations and dismissals among senior employees and executives, after serious allegations of sexual misconduct become public.

As reported by the Guardian, Francois has now received a three-year suspended prison sentence and a €30,000 fine after being found guilty of sexual harassment, psychological harassment, and an attempted sexual assault. During the trial, it was alleged Francois had restrained a female employee while trying to kiss her on the mouth. He was also accused of forcing a female co-worker to do handstands while she wore a skirt, alongside other incidents.

Hascoët – who faced accusations of racist comments and other behaviour during the trial – was found guilty of psychological harassment and complicity in sexual harassment by the court, receiving an eight-month suspended sentence and a fine of €45,000. Patrux has been handed a 12-month suspended sentence and a fine of €10,000 after being convicted of psychological harassment. During the trial, it was alleged Patrux had punched walls, mimed hitting staff, and set fire to a colleague’s beard with a cigarette lighter, among other things.