Adidas AG has launched an investigation into allegations of inappropriate behavior by Kanye West after the German sporting goods maker ended its partnership with the rapper and fashion designer last month.
Adidas started the investigation after receiving an anonymous letter from an anonymous source who has been accused of several allegations against the musician, who now goes by Ye.
The investigation follows a report from Rolling Stone magazine that detailed alleged incidents of inappropriate behavior by Ye toward staff and prospective employees. More than two dozen former Yeezy and Adidas employees were interviewed by Rolling Stone.
The magazine reported that former members of the team sent an anonymous letter to Adidas in which they said senior leaders at the company were aware of Ye's behavior, but had turned a blind eye and turned their moral compass off. It is not known whether the accusations made in an anonymous letter are true, an Adidas spokesman said in a statement to Reuters.
We take these allegations very seriously and we have taken the decision to launch an independent investigation of the matter immediately to address the allegations. Ye couldn't be reached for comment immediately. The Financial Times first reported on Thursday about the investigation.
Union Investment, which owns a 0.76% stake in Adidas, wrote to the company asking for more information about the claims.
In a statement to Reuters, Janne Werning, who heads ESG Capital Markets Stewardship at Union Investment, said that Adidas needs to reveal when the management and supervisory board was first informed of the internal allegations.
Ye has caused controversy in recent months by publicly ending major corporate tie-ups and outbursts on social media against other celebrities. His Twitter and Instagram accounts were restricted, with the social media platforms removing some of his posts that users condemned as antisemitic.