Former Ethereum Foundation lead sues foundation and Vitalik Buterin over alleged wrongful termination

Kayleen Fulton alleges she was fired after disclosing a cancer diagnosis and objecting to an internal staff document called the Ethereum Foundation Mandate The Ethereum Foundation is now a defendant in federal court, and so is its most famous co-founder. Kayleen Fulton, who previously led the foundation’s Protocol Support team, has sued the organization, Vitalik Buterin, and Bastian Aue. She alleges she was wrongfully terminated after objecting to an internal staff pledge and disclosing a serious medical diagnosis. What the lawsuit alleges The complaint was filed on November 4, 2026, in the US District Court for the District of Colorado. It accuses the foundation of wrongful termination and discrimination. Fulton’s claims also invoke two federal employment laws. The first is the Americans with Disabilities Act, which protects workers with disabilities and serious health conditions. The second is the Family and Medical Leave Act, which governs job-protected leave for medical reasons. According to the filing, Fulton disclosed her ovarian cancer diagnosis on March 24, 2026. She alleges that she and another organizer, Trent Van Epps, were dismissed roughly two weeks later. The research...