Key Takeaways
1. Leslie Benzies, former producer of Grand Theft Auto, has been accused of sexual assault by Sarah Ransome, a victim of Jeffrey Epstein, in recently released Epstein files.
2. Ransome claims Benzies treated her poorly, alleging he threw money at her and publicly humiliated her, while also stating that Rockstar’s boss, Sam Houser, was aware of the mistreatment.
3. Benzies has denied all allegations, calling them false and claiming he had a consensual relationship with Ransome; he also stated he has never met Epstein or visited his properties.
4. Following the emergence of these allegations, a YouTuber named Cyber Boi posted a video discussing the claims, which led to a cease and desist demand from Build a Rocket Boy’s co-CEO, Mark Gerhard.
5. The allegations remain unproven, and as anticipation for GTA VI builds, there is increased scrutiny on Rockstar and its developers amid reports of leaked work products and disputes over layoffs.
The name of Leslie Benzies, a former producer of Grand Theft Auto and ex-President of Rockstar North, has recently come up in the Epstein files made public by the U.S. Department of Justice. Sarah Ransome, one of the alleged victims of Epstein, has accused Benzies of sexual assault in these files. She has previously taken legal action against Epstein and his associate Ghislane Maxwell for sex trafficking. Ransome also published a book titled Silenced No More: Surviving My Journey to Hell and Back, where she detailed her disturbing experiences.
Discovery of Allegations
The information that brought this to light was part of a witness list compiled by Ransome, where she named Benzies along with Rockstar’s boss, Sam Houser. It is essential to clarify that no accusations were directed at Houser; instead, Ransome claimed he was aware of the alleged mistreatment she suffered at the hands of Benzies. Ransome stated that Benzies had thrown money at her, treating her like a “prostitute” to publicly humiliate her, and she asserted that Houser knew about the incident.
Benzies’ Response
Benzies has firmly denied all allegations, providing a statement to Kotaku in which he said:
“These allegations are false, I had a 3 months consensual relationship with this person, and I have never met Jeffrey Epstein, nor have I ever visited his island, his properties, or travelled on his plane. Any suggestion otherwise is misleading.”
At present, Benzies is one of the co-founders of Build a Rocket Boy studio, which just launched its first game, MindsEye. This game, a futuristic third-person shooter, has also faced speculation about its troubled development and a rocky release. A YouTuber named Cyber Boi recently shared a video on MindsEye’s Discord channel titled “Leslie Benzies is in the Epstein Files.”
Legal Actions Taken
Shortly after the video was posted, Mark Gerhard, co-CEO of Build a Rocket Boy, sent a “formal cease and desist demand” to Cyber Boi via the same server. He accused the YouTuber of “media manipulation, espionage,” “sabotage,” and “interference targeting” against the company. Fearing possible “escalated legal action,” Cyber Boi took down the video.
It’s crucial to keep in mind that while these allegations surfaced in the files, they have yet to be supported by any legal verdict or law enforcement action; they remain unproven accusations. As anticipation builds for GTA VI, projected to be the largest video game release of 2026 and seeking to outdo its hugely popular predecessor, many developers and producers at Rockstar are under intense scrutiny.
This is especially true in light of recent claims of leaked work products and allegedly unjust firings in the UK, which emerged from conflicts between laid-off developers and the studio. As fans eagerly search for any updates on GTA VI and Rockstar, the game’s release is set for November 2026.
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