DWF Labs and OpenEden have axed a partner, Eugene Ng, amid allegations of drink spiking that lit up social media on X.
DWF, while not mentioning Eugene by name, immediately scrubbed him from their team page and announced his removal from all management and operational roles. The company issued a statement, saying:
“We are aware of the recent and deeply concerning allegations involving one of our partners, who has been accused of inappropriate and unacceptable behavior. While the matter is under investigation, DWF Labs has decided to dismiss the said partner from management and operational roles effective immediately.”
This swift response comes after a woman, known as Hana, claimed Eugene spiked her drink in a Hong Kong bar on October 24.
Allegations and shocking details
Hana posted about her experience, sharing details that paint a disturbing picture of what happened that night. She wrote that:
“I never thought I’d personally experience something like this. On the evening of October 24th, I was drugged by a partner at DWF Labs at a bar in HK. I have reported this to the local police and have collected video evidence of him spiking my drink.”
Eugene had previously approached her with promises of a job opportunity that, he claimed, perfectly matched her background. Hana, new to the crypto community and eager to learn, accepted the invitation.
But according to her, things went south fast. She left briefly for the restroom, and upon returning, she took a few sips from her drink.
Eugene then stepped outside to take a call, which is when the bar’s waitress warned Hana about what she had just witnessed, Eugene allegedly spiking her drink.
“I was shocked and couldn’t believe someone like him could do something so horrible,” Hana said. She felt the effects of the drug almost immediately, feeling dizzy and sick as she tried to leave.
Eugene was persistent, saying things like, “Come with me. I have a suite at the Murray. Stay close; I can give you more alpha. I can help you get places.” Hana described Eugene’s behavior as polished and practiced, suggesting this might not have been his first time doing something like this.
With the waitress’s help, Hana escaped the situation and reported the incident to local police. She obtained CCTV footage showing Eugene allegedly spiking her drink multiple times, even stirring the liquid to dissolve the powder. The footage, she says, only increased her horror.
“I’m lucky enough to have been saved by the waitress,” she wrote, adding that her goal is to warn others to avoid falling into similar situations. “Even in professional settings, women are not always safe,” she said, urging people to trust their instincts.
Crypto’s troubling record with harassment
The crypto community has gained notoriety for its hostile environment toward women, with harassment and discrimination often reported.
A study has shown that 82% of women in crypto view harassment as a major problem. Within the space, the inclusion score for women is 43.9, a stark contrast to 78 in the broader tech industry. This reflects a deeply rooted issue with workplace culture and gender bias in crypto.
Crypto still has a massive gender gap, with only 26% of crypto investors in the U.S. being women. Globally, women make up a mere 5% of crypto users, while in venture-backed blockchain startups, just 17.7% have a female on the founding team, and only 8.2% of these startups are all-female-led.
Female crypto professionals routinely report harassment and dismissive attitudes from their male colleagues. In addition to anecdotes of sexual harassment and belittling of women’s expertise, many describe the industry’s “bro culture” as a massive barrier to their professional growth.
48% of men surveyed acknowledged that harassment is a problem in the industry. Organizations like the Association for Women in Crypto are trying to create safe spaces, advocate for fairer workplace practices, and elevate women’s contributions in the field. But clearly, the efforts are falling short.
