Gun Oil, one of the most recognizable lubricant brands among gay men, is caught in a very public internal battle after a wave of accusations hit the company’s social media pages. Over the past few days, an alleged group of former employees appeared to seize control of Gun Oil’s accounts, accusing founder and CEO Scott Fraser and parent company Empowered Products of “wage theft and labor exploitation.” In a post on Twitter dated Friday, November 21, they claimed the company “failed to pay $21,067 USD in overdue salaries and invoices owed to seven agencies/contractors… and refuses to pay its freelancers, marketers, creatives, and agencies.” When reached for comment, Fraser told Out that the negative content came from a “long-time employee dismissed for extensive malfeasance,” adding that a police report has been filed with Las Vegas Metro Police’s Financial Crimes unit. A pro–Gun Oil Instagram post on Saturday attempted to dismiss the accusations, stating, “We are dealing with people who have no legal right to post on our behalf.” But the response only inflamed critics and ambassadors.
