MindsEye studio boss threatens legal action against YouTuber as co-CEO Leslie Benzies denies Epstein allegations: 'I have never met Jeffrey Epstein, nor have I ever visited his island'

Former Rockstar North CEO and current Build a Rocket Boy co-CEO Leslie Benzies has denied allegations of involvement with billionaire pedophile and human trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, saying in a statement provided to Kotaku that "these allegations are false."

Benzies' statement comes a few days after Build a Rocket Boy co-CEO Mark Gerhard issued a "formal cease and desist demand" to YouTuber Cyber Boi on the MindsEye Discord, just minutes after Cyber Boi released a video noting that Benzies is mentioned in the Epstein files.

The mention in question is an email from an unnamed party accusing Benzies of sexual assault, which Benzies has denied.

"I had a three 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," Benzies said. "Any suggestion otherwise is misleading."

It isn't clear whether Gerhard's cease and desist demand had to do with Cyber Boi's video about the Epstein allegations or something else, but the Discord message was posted minutes after the video went up: A "video ping" marking its release went out on Cyber Boi's Discord at 8:44 am ET on January 31, and Gerhard's cease-and-desist on the MindsEye Discord was posted at 9:02 am the same day, just 18 minutes later.

"It is profoundly disappointing to learn that certain BARB employees continue to leak confidential information to you, thereby betraying their colleagues, our studio, and the broader community we serve," Gerhard wrote.

"This letter serves as a formal cease and desist demand: You must immediately stop all activities related to receiving, disseminating, or otherwise utilizing any confidential information from BARB, as well as any further involvement in media manipulation, espionage, sabotage, or interference targeting our organization. Failure to comply will result in escalated legal action.

"Rest assured, you and your associates involved in this media manipulation cabal will be served with legal papers imminently, as BARB proceeds with complaints alleging criminal espionage, sabotage, and interference. You are all in very serious trouble."

The video, which we have not seen, has since been taken down: "They threatened legal action," Cyber Boi wrote on his own Discord. "Can't be arsed with the drama of it all."

The timing of the cease and desist may have been coincidental, as Gerhard’s message focuses on alleged leaks of confidential company information, rather than the Epstein files.

Gerhard’s accusation of "media manipulation, espionage, sabotage, or interference" recalls a previous incident, when Gerhard claimed in May 2025 that "a concerted effort to trash the game and the studio" was being made in an attempt to derail the release of MindsEye. His comments were interpreted by some as implying that the sabotage was being financed by Rockstar, though Gerhard did not explicitly name Rockstar in this context. Rockstar has not responded to these allegations. Benzies himself later made similar allegations.

I don't know what else was in Cyber Boi's since-removed video, but references to Leslie Benzies in the Epstein files are a matter of public record and can be found with a simple search on the US Department of Justice website.

PC Gamer has seen no evidence to support Gerhard’s allegation of criminal conduct against Cyber Boi. The timing of the cease and desist in relation to his now removed video may be coincidental, as Gerhard’s message focuses on alleged leaks of confidential company information.

Gerhard previously drew attention to himself in May 2025 when he claimed "a concerted effort to trash the game and the studio" was being made in an attempt to derail the release of MindsEye. His comments were interpreted by some as implying that the sabotage was being financed by Rockstar, though Gerhard did not explicitly name Rockstar in this context. Rockstar has not responded to these allegations. Benzies himself later made similar allegations.