A
report from The New York Times today has revealed new, alarming details on the circumstances that surrounded Andy Rubin’s departure from Google in 2014. The man often referred to as “the father of Android,” who is currently the chief executive officer of Essential, was asked to resign from Google by Larry Page, according to the
Times.
The company had investigated sexual misconduct claims against Rubin, which revolved around an incident in which he allegedly coerced another Google employee into “performing oral sex in a hotel room in 2013.” Despite reportedly finding the claims credible — to the point that Page decided Rubin needed to go — Google gave him a $90 million exit package. The last $2 million of that agreement will be paid out next month.
Before that payout, and during the initial stages of its investigation in 2014, Google awarded Rubin “a stock grant worth $150 million.” The move gave Rubin, at that time a highly-valued executive at the company, major financial incentive for sticking around after he’d moved on from Android to focus his efforts on a robotics unit. The
Times says it’s unclear whether Page or Google’s leadership committee knew about the misconduct allegations when they approved that huge grant.
