Former Ethereum Foundation Employee Sues the Fund and Vitalik Buterin

Former Ethereum Foundation employee Kaylin Fulton, known in the Ethereum community under the pseudonym Nixo, has filed a lawsuit against the foundation, its executives, and several affiliated companies. She claims she was unlawfully terminated after participating in a collective protest against the conditions of the internal strategic document EF Mandate.

The lawsuit was filed on November 4, 2026, in a federal court in the U.S. state of Colorado. Among the defendants are Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin, one of the foundation's executives Bastian Aue, the legal entities of the Ethereum Foundation, and two companies providing staffing services.

Before her dismissal, Fulton led the Protocol Support team, which was responsible for organizing and coordinating the work of the core Ethereum protocol developers.

Why Ethereum Foundation Employees Opposed the EF Mandate

The conflict described in the lawsuit began in February 2026, when the management presented employees with a draft of the strategic document EF Mandate. The document outlined four main principles of Ethereum: censorship resistance, open source, privacy, and security. However, employees were particularly concerned about the Source Seppuku License section. It contained a symbolic pledge mentioning the act of seppuku in case of breach of the commitments made.

According to the lawsuit, 79 employees supported the proposal to remove this section. Bastian Aue later clarified that the wording was a cultural reference and did not imply literal execution.

Despite objections, the provision remained in the final version of the EF Mandate, published on March 13.

On March 20, Aue demanded that employees confirm in writing their commitment to the direction outlined in the document. Those who did not provide confirmation by the deadline were to be considered as having voluntarily left the organization.

Fulton and her colleague Trent Van Epps prepared a collective letter. It was signed by 53 employees who supported the core principles of Ethereum but opposed the conditions of the mandate confirmation.

According to the lawsuit, the management agreed to consider the signatures on the letter as confirmation of commitment to the foundation's general course.

However, on April 6, Fulton and Van Epps were dismissed. The plaintiff claims she was not given reasons for this decision. As one of her arguments, she cites a positive evaluation of her work and a 21.9% salary increase a few months earlier.

Fulton Alleged Discrimination Based on Health Condition

In addition to the alleged dismissal in response to the collective protest, Fulton accuses the employer of discrimination based on health condition and violation of medical leave laws. According to the lawsuit, on March 24, she notified the Ethereum Foundation management in writing about her cancer diagnosis and upcoming treatment. Thirteen days later, Fulton lost her job. The plaintiff believes her dismissal may have been related both to organizing the collective appeal and to reporting her health condition.

The case materials also include excerpts from a conversation between Fulton and Vitalik Buterin that took place on May 1 in Norway. Part of the conversation was recorded. According to the version presented in the lawsuit, Buterin discussed what employee behavior management is willing to encourage and what consequences concessions after public disagreements might lead to.

Fulton views this conversation as confirmation of her version of the reasons for her dismissal. However, the court has not yet determined whether Buterin's statements are related to the alleged violations of the plaintiff's labor rights.

What Demands Fulton Made to the Defendants

Fulton seeks compensation for lost wages, damages, and litigation-related expenses. The exact amount of the claims is not specified in the lawsuit. Additionally, she contests the termination agreement. The plaintiff claims the document was signed under duress and should not limit her right to legal protection. At the time of preparing this material, a decision on the merits of the dispute has not been made. The defendants' position regarding the claims is not present in the reviewed publications.

Separately, in June 2026, the Ethereum Foundation conducted a major reorganization, announcing the layoff of 54 employees, approximately 20% of the staff. The foundation explained the changes as necessary to focus resources on key areas of Ethereum development.

This reorganization occurred after Fulton's dismissal and does not serve as evidence of the legitimacy or illegitimacy of the decision she is contesting.