Some informative follow-up articles:
Tereshinski explains the situation in more detail, and admits that it's not exactly the financial catastrophe it sounded like:
http://www.polygon.com/2016/2/1/10889756/ant-simulator-eteeski-strippers-liquor-allegations-video
The two friends chime in, predictably denying the allegations:
http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/...ers-respond-devs-claims-100-percent-bull.aspx
Given how much this story blew up I figured the two accused would release a statement where they denied everything. This makes everything a matter of hearsay, but I was betting that the nature of their denial would say a lot about how guilty they look. And I wasn't disappointed.
Apparently, they think that the money they spent on bars and clubs is commensurate for game dev studios they were totally in the clear because they reported it to the IRS and everything.
Now sure, spending company money on drinks could make sense in some contexts. Like if you're working with a client or trying to boost morale of your employees. But there's no justification for two executives and part-owners to treat themselves with company money.
Furthermore, a fledgling startup of this meager size with such limited funds has no business spending company money on this sort of thing regardless. The guy doing all the development work wasn't even taking any kind of salary and here they are blowing the company's money on things that do nothing to advance the company. On something that the company simply can't afford.
Anyone with common sense can tell they were the party in the wrong here and it's embarrassing that they don't realize this. They look like wannabe hotshots that are playing corporate. They were lucky to even get a stake of a company riding entirely on their friend's hard work and they blew it.
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Exactly, I was kind of surprised that their full names were out there in the clear. I guess he has to have some pretty concrete proof of their behaviour for that not to be defamation.
Indeed they say they're considering legal action against him. If this goes to court I have a feeling they're going to end up looking even worse, as their exact behaviors will become a matter of public examination.