Former SF Startup CEO Zain Jaffer is facing multiple crimes including Child Abuse, sexual assault on a minor and Battery on a Police Officer pic.twitter.com/TMvqFfZBrA
— Sergio Quintana (@svqjournalist) October 21, 2017
Zain Jaffer, now-former CEO of Vungle, a San Francisco-based video ad platform, was arrested late last week, as prosecutors charged him with sexually abusing and assaulting his 3-year-old-son, writes the Chron. Jaffer was removed from his position as CEO of Vungle last week as well, shortly following news of his arrest.
According to San Mateo County's inmate lookup system, Jaffer is specifically being charged with the following: assault with a deadly weapon, child abuse, battery upon an officer and emergency personnel, lewd act upon a child, and oral copulation of a person under 14. The Chron also says that Jaffer was also initially charged with attempted murder, but prosecutors dropped that charge as they believe there isn't sufficient evidence to prove his intent to kill, according to San Mateo County District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe. Per VentureBeat, Wagstaffe also said that the battery charge stems from Jaffer resisting arrest.
A spokesperson from Vungle spoke with VentureBeat, emphasizing that the company has already dismissed Jaffer. They said, "While we do not have any information that is not in the public record at this point, these are extremely serious allegations, and we are shocked beyond words. While these are only preliminary charges, they are obviously so serious that it led to the immediate removal of Mr. Jaffer from any operational responsibility at the company. The company stressed that this matter has nothing to do with Mr. Jaffer’s former role at the company." Additionally, Jaffer's attorney, David Olmos, said that his client will be pleading not guilty, and that he has no public statement to issue at this time.
Forbes' report on the arrest says that it was allegedly Jaffer's father who called the police to his home in Hillsborough. Wagstaffe tells them that when the officers arrived, they allegedly found Jaffer "engaged in the illegal contact with the minors."
You can read Vungle's full statement below, which they shared in a tweet.
— Vungle (@Vungle) October 21, 2017
Related: Recent SF Startup Staffer Busted For Child Porn Possession, Distribution