The Orwells Announce Split Following Sexual Misconduct Claims

Music
30 Aug 18

The Orwells have announced that they've splitting up following sexual misconduct allegations made against three members of the band, including statutory rape claims being made against their lead singer.

A disturbing Reddit post made allegations last week against lead singer Mario Cuomo, bassist Grant Brinner and drummer Henry Brinner. The claims include sexual misconduct and unruly behaviour.

Several teenage students wrote claims on the Reddit thread that the band's lead singer had slept with underage girls from their high school.

In their hometown of Chicago, the words "The Orwells are rapists" are etched on the door of the women's bathroom stall in popular venue Coles. A photo of the accusation on the bathroom door was published by Newsweek.

The allegations originally promoted The Orwells, who first found fame after one of their songs was featured on an Apple commercial, to initially cancel a hometown gig.

But they've now decided that there's no light at the end of the tunnel for them as a group. The Orwells made the following statement on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: "The Orwells have disbanded."

The Orwells added in a separate statement made to Pitchfork: “It’s come to our attention that certain allegations of abuse have been made against one or more of us on social media and in social circles of Chicago.

"We’d like to first state that sexual abuse in any form is abhorrent. We do not take these accusations lightly and consider this matter incredibly serious. We emphatically deny these baseless allegations brought as a personal attack against us.”