Core member Ben Hopkins has been described as a "known sexual predator" who's "ma[de] unwanted advances on minors". A follow-up investigation by Jezebel featured an interview with one of Hopkins' victims who says that Hopkins "started having sex with her without permission while also refusing to wear protection."
An initial statement - issued shortly after the allegations were made public earlier this month - just prompted more questions from former fans.
In the wake of the allegations PWR BTTM's US label Polyvinyl and UK label Big Scary Monsters have dropped them - they've lost their management, PR representation, touring members, support acts, festival slots, and world tour dates. Former label Father/Daughter will no longer sell their back catalogue and most of their music has been pulled from digital distributors and streaming services.
Now both Hopkins and fellow PWR BTTM member Liv Bruce have both made statements, as welll as issuing a joint statement which you can read below.
"As some of you know, we set up a separate email address back in mid-May so that anyone with information relevant to the situation that was then unfolding could privately share what they knew. At the time we thought it was the right thing to do. We now see that we were putting the onus on others to do something that only works if it is what they want. We have concluded that there is no viable way to do what we were trying to accomplish, with the result that we are going to shut that email address down (we have not and will not look at any emails that may have been sent there to date).
"Finally, to our fans, our friends, our family and those who have supported us unfailingly and who continue to support us unfailingly: thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Having enjoyed the enthusiastic support of so many incredible people throughout our music careers has been a blessing. We love playing music, we love sharing music with others and we want nothing more than to be back performing together soon."
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