Syndicate denies sexual abuse allegations as multiple women come forward
Twitter: ZombiUnicorn / YouTube: The Life of Tom[jwplayer Y7PB7YwV] UPDATE: June 24: Tom ‘ProSyndicate’ Cassell has issued a long statement addressing the allegations of sexual abuse made by ZombiUnicorn and KaitlinWitcher on Twitter, claiming that it’s all false and there was never any wrongdoing involved with either woman.
“This is character assassination by social media without evidence to support it or any justification,” he wrote. “These two women have chosen to make horrendous allegations against me for reasons I do not understand, attempting to stage a public trial without giving me a chance to defend myself.”
UPDATE June 21, 1:30PM PST: Syndicate has responded to the allegations of sexual abuse made by the two women. He claims that what’s been alleged is “false” and that he’s “in actual shock.”
The YouTuber is expected to follow up with a larger statement in the next few days, and claims he is going to address “every single thing that’s been said.”
I honestly don't know what to say with all these allegations being made against me. I'm in actual shock. I seriously am.
I want to address every single thing that's been said. I will be making a statement regarding all the false allegations in the following days.— Tom (@Syndicate) June 21, 2020
The original story is below.
Twitch streamer and YouTuber Natalie ‘ZombiUnicorn’ Casanova has accused YouTuber Tom ‘ProSyndicate’ Cassell of sexual abuse, with his ex-girlfriend KaitlinWitcher also sharing her story.
In a video on June 21, ZombiUnicorn alleges that the incident took place while they were working together on the Legends of Gaming show, a tournament between YouTube gamers in 2016.
Casanova explains that the pair had been in a consensual relationship, but that on one occasion the encounter had become non-consensual.
“He said he didn’t have any [condoms], so I said we can only continue if you pull out, because I don’t take birth control. When the time came, I was on top of him, he was saying that he was about to, and I was like ok I’m getting off, and he held me down physically, so that I could not get off of him. I smacked him and said ‘no, stop!’.”
In her tweet, ZombiUnicorn said, “I FINALLY realized my own story of sexual abuse that I’d long passed off as him just ‘being a d**k’. I tried to remain cordial bc of his position/power until I just cut him off entirely. @/ProSyndicate”
In the video, she explains in detail the events leading up to and the encounter itself, claiming that despite Cassell saying that he did not have a condom, she later found them in his bathroom.
Warning: Clip contains explicit description of sexual abuse.
TW: R*pe.
Seeing so many brave women come forward with their stories, I FINALLY realized my own story of sexual abuse that I'd long passed off as him just "being a dick." I tried to remain cordial bc of his position/power until I just cut him off entirely. @/ProSyndicate pic.twitter.com/6UpWHOH6sl
— Nati Ⓥ (they/them) (@TheZombiUnicorn) June 21, 2020
Casanova says that after the incident, she tried to maintain the friendship and be cordial, “because of his position and power”, but later decided to block him and was “avoiding him at all costs.”
“I am worried that he’s going to try to come after me, because I’m saying this, but it’s all true.” ZombiUnicorn explained that a woman who works for Syndicate’s company, 3BLACKDOT, took her to the pharmacy to get Plan B the next morning.
In follow up tweets, Casanova also alleged that Cassell had shared private photos of her without permission or knowledge.
After it happened, I did share this with friends and family privately. A lot of friends know/knew and I moved on from it for years. But yesterday realizing it for what it was, it brought a new wave of emotion/numbness. Now that I've said my peace, I would like to move on again.
— Nati Ⓥ (they/them) (@TheZombiUnicorn) June 21, 2020
Two hours before posting her video, ZombiUnicorn asked her followers what they would call the scenario.
So when you have sex with someone and they lie about having condoms then hold you down to cum inside without your consent *on purpose*, forcing you to take Plan B which they knew gives you extreme side effects that you avoid by using other birth control…
What do you call that?
— Nati Ⓥ (they/them) (@TheZombiUnicorn) June 21, 2020
Dexerto has reached out to ProSyndicate for comment.
His ex-girlfriend KaitlinWitcher has also spoken out following ZombiUnicorn’s video in a series of tearful Twitter clips. She claimed he was her first boyfriend, and that she “didn’t know better,” before going into detail about an alleged incident in December 2012 in a Los Angeles hotel room.
tw- r*pe
i never thought i'd be strong enough to do this. please understand i tried my best to explain what i went through and its incredibly hard to relive. i'm sorry i couldn't do this sooner. i can't upload it in one go so please understand. pic.twitter.com/6D8bCKySA0
— Kait (@KaitlinWitcher) June 21, 2020
She went on to describe how Cassell said he “wanted to do things” with her in the room, to which she refused multiple times before he assaulted her without consent.
— Kait (@KaitlinWitcher) June 21, 2020
— Kait (@KaitlinWitcher) June 21, 2020
Syndicate runs two popular YouTube channels, boasting a combined subscriber count of over 12 million. He’s also one of the most followed streamers on Twitch, with a further 3 million followers. Casanova is a popular Twitch streamer also, with over 200,000 followers on the platform.
The allegations come the day after a number of women in the gaming industry reported instances of harassment, prominently against Destiny streamer SayNoToRage.