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Report: Crystal Castles’ Ethan Kath Is Under Investigation for Sex Crimes

A report by The Daily Beast confirms that a report is underway after "several women" reported Kath's alleged misconduct to the Toronto Police Service.
Image via Wikimedia Commons

The Toronto Police Service’s Sex Crimes unit is actively investigating claims against Crystal Castles band member Ethan Kath, per a report by The Daily Beast. According to a source who spoke to the news site, the investigation involves allegations made by “several women.”

Police Constable Allyson Douglas-Cook confirmed to The Daily Beast that an investigation was underway, but wouldn’t reveal any further details. “At this point we are able to confirm that there is an investigation,” she said. “However, because of the nature of the investigation, and for the privacy of the alleged victims, there isn’t anything else that we can say pertaining to it.”

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The Daily Beast did speak with one of Kath’s accusers, who chose to remain anonymous. She said that Kath—whose real name is Claudio Palmieri—contacted her on social media when she was 15, and initiated a sexual relationship with her the following year. “I want this guy’s insane horrible mistreatment of underage girls to be out in the open for everyone to know and to protect themselves,” she said.

Two months ago, former Crystal Castles member Alice Glass accused Kath of serial sexual, physical, and emotional abuse. In a lengthy blog post, Glass claimed that she had left Crystal Castles in 2014 as a result of Palmieri’s abusive behavior. “He controlled everything I did,” she wrote.

He berated me and yelled at me, telling me that I was a joke, that all the people that came to our shows were only interested in his instrumentals and that I was ruining the band. He broke glass shower doors to frighten me, he locked me into rooms. He told me that my feminism made me a target for rapists and only he could protect me. He forced me to have sex with him or, he said, I wouldn't be allowed to be in the band anymore.

Soon after Glass published that post, Palmieri said in a statement that her claims were “pure fiction.” In November, he sued Glass for defamation and loss of earnings. He claimed that Crystal Castles, now fronted by Edith Frances, was forced to cancel its forthcoming tour, costing the band $300,000.

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