Ex-Disco Elysium Developers Allege ZA/UM Shareholders Engaged in Fraudulent Activities

Former ZA/UM employees Robert Kurvitz and Aleksander Rostov have come forward with allegations that the majority stake in the studio was acquired through illicit means. In a recent post on Medium, the duo revealed that their stake in the Disco Elysium property stems from their minority shareholdings in Zaum Studio OÜ, an Estonian firm. The majority of shares were previously held by investor Margue Linnamäe, who was bought out by Tütreke OÜ in 2021 - a company allegedly serving as a front for Ilmar Kompus and Tõnis Haavel. According to the post, as minority shareholders, Kurvitz and Rostov had limited rights, but they felt secure as long as Linnamäe was the majority shareholder, believing the company's finances were in order and all shareholders were treated equally. However, this changed with Kompus and Haavel at the helm, as they were swiftly excluded from daily operations, terminated, and denied access to company information. Their dismissal came shortly after they requested documents and financial data, which are still being withheld. The pair accuses Tütreke OÜ of gaining control over Zaum Studio OÜ through fraudulent means and claims that the funds used for the purchase were obtained illegally. They believe these actions, considered criminal wrongdoing punishable by up to three years in prison, were committed by Ilmar Kompus and Tõnis Haavel, with the support of Kaur Kender, another minority shareholder. Kurvitz and Rostov are currently reviewing their legal options, stating that civil claims and criminal charges are being considered in both the UK and Estonia. In response, ZA/UM released a statement claiming that former senior employees were let go due to mismanagement and misconduct, without naming specific individuals. Ilmar Kompus also made comments to an Estonian newspaper, accusing Kurvitz and Rostov of mistreating coworkers. Sources familiar with the matter have described the situation as a case of corporate scheming on one side and a toxic work environment on the other.