by Akriti Sharma
(Reuters) – Adidas said on Thursday it had opened an investigation into allegations of inappropriate behavior against employees targeting American rapper Kanye West.
The group, which ended its partnership with the fashion designer last month, said it had received an anonymous letter containing several allegations against the musician, who now calls himself Ye West.
The investigation follows a Rolling Stone magazine article which detailed alleged incidents of inappropriate behavior towards staff. Rolling Stone cited interviews with more than two dozen former Yeezy and Adidas employees.
According to the magazine, former team members sent an anonymous letter to Adidas in which they claim that company executives were aware of Ye West’s behavior, but had closed “their eyes” and “turned off their compass”. moral.”
“It is currently unclear whether the accusations made in the anonymous letter are true,” an Adidas spokesperson told Reuters.
“However, we take these allegations very seriously and have taken the decision to immediately launch an independent investigation into the matter.”
Ye West could not be reached for comment.
According to the Financial Times, which reported the investigation, Germany’s third-largest asset manager, Union Investment, wrote to Adidas on Thursday asking for more information about the charges.
Union Investment did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Ye West has sparked controversy in recent months by publicly ending ties with big corporations and ranting on social media against other celebrities.
(Written by Akriti Sharma in Bangalore; French version Kate Entringer)
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