Epic Games has reached a proposed settlement with a former contractor accused of being the notorious Fortnite leaker known as AdiraFN. The agreement, if approved by a judge, would permanently prevent the defendant from possessing, accessing, using, or disclosing any of Epic's confidential or trade secret information, and from assisting others in doing so.
The lawsuit was filed in March, alleging that Hayden Cohen, a former Fortnite contractor, was the individual behind the AdiraFN social media accounts. These accounts had revealed details about numerous Fortnite collaborations prior to their official announcements. Epic's complaint stated that Cohen, after signing a non-disclosure agreement, repeatedly misappropriated Epic's trade secret information and broadcasted it publicly through anonymous social media accounts on X and Discord.
Epic Games director of corporate communications Natalie Munoz confirmed the proposed settlement, stating, "We took legal action against the former contractor who repeatedly leaked confidential partner IP and trade secrets that they received while working with Epic." Munoz added, "We’ve asked the court to approve the stipulated injunction to ensure they cannot publish or share Epic's confidential information again."
While Epic's initial complaint sought monetary damages, including actual loss, unjust enrichment, and legal fees, the proposed settlement document, as noted by Game File, focuses solely on the injunction. No specific monetary penalty is mentioned in the document. Epic has previously pursued and won financial awards against individuals involved in Fortnite cheating. The proposed settlement is now awaiting judicial approval.