Silicon Valley ‘Whisper Network’ Spreadsheet Allegedly Lists 100+ Men Over Sexual Misconduct Claims

A private spreadsheet containing the names of more than 100 men accused of sexual misconduct is reportedly circulating within a so-called “whisper network” of women in California's Silicon Valley, with allegations ranging from drugging and sexual assault to rape, The New York Post reported, citing sources familiar with the document.

The spreadsheet reportedly includes prominent investors, businessmen and people connected to major technology and artificial intelligence companies. The allegations have not been independently verified, and inclusion on the private list does not establish that any individual committed a crime.

According to several insiders who said they had seen the document, women use the network to privately warn one another about men they consider potentially unsafe. Some sources told the Post that women are reluctant to report allegations to police or publicly identify accused men because of concerns about career repercussions in a closely connected industry.

‘Some Of Them Were Very Prominent Names’

A Silicon Valley tech worker in her 20s told the Post she was surprised by the prominence of some of the names after learning about the network.

She said she eventually contributed her own account of alleged sexual misconduct after being approached by women familiar with the group.

The woman said she learned about the network only after asking others about her experience and was told that it contained hundreds of cases.

She also said some women feared that pursuing complaints publicly could affect their professional prospects, particularly because investors and entrepreneurs can have significant influence over careers in the technology sector.

Allegations Reportedly Linked To ‘Hacker Houses’

Some of the incidents described by sources reportedly occurred in so-called “hacker houses” — communal residences where young founders, investors and technology workers live and socialise while developing businesses and professional connections.

The overlap between personal and professional relationships can make allegations particularly complicated, sources said, as people who socialise together may also become business partners, investors, colleagues or potential employers.

One insider alleged that some men used friendships to establish trust before crossing personal boundaries. The source also claimed that younger women and people who had recently moved to the US or Silicon Valley could be particularly vulnerable.

The source stressed that alleged perpetrators and victims are not necessarily limited to one gender.

Yehong Zhu Describes Alleged Assault

Yehong Zhu, founder of the app Zette, has publicly discussed her experience after accusing a former member of the San Francisco hacker house Genesis of rape and assault.

Zhu said she filed a police report in December 2021. According to her account, the man left the area and had not been located or arrested, while continuing to remain connected to people in their social circle.

Zhu told the Post that she repeatedly told the man no.

She also said that, after the alleged assault, one female friend raised concerns about the effect an accusation could have on the man's reputation. Zhu said a house organiser discouraged her from immediately going to police and suggested establishing a committee and holding a vote on whether the man should be removed.

Zhu ultimately contacted police and lawyers and approached people who knew the man in an effort to locate him. She said some people declined to become involved because they had invested or done business with him.

Different Response At Launch House

A former resident of Launch House, a founder community in Beverly Hills, described a different response after she suspected she had been drugged at a gathering.

Speaking anonymously, the woman said she could not remember parts of the evening and later learned that a friend had helped her to bed. She described experiencing chills, sweating and difficulty moving.

She said other women later told her that the same man had touched them inappropriately or made unwanted advances.

The women approached the house's founders together. According to the woman, the man was immediately removed from the house, the locks were changed and the founders offered assistance with contacting police.

She ultimately chose not to report the incident, saying she could not remember what had happened and did not believe she could establish what occurred through witnesses.

She said she nevertheless felt safe remaining at the house, although she alleged that the man later targeted her and the company online.

Brett Goldstein, a Launch House co-founder, told the Post that Launch House no longer operates in the same form. He said the organisation's conduct policies and procedures for responding to incidents had been developed with outside HR, safety and other experts.

Concerns About Closed Tech Communities Go Back Years

Concerns about sexual misconduct within tightly connected technology and startup communities have been raised previously.

In 2022, AI researcher Keerthana Gopalakrishnan wrote about sexual pressure within Effective Altruism circles. She questioned the use of community mediation in sexual-assault complaints and called for clearer distinctions between coercion and consensual polyamory.

The latest accounts reported by the Post highlight how informal networks can emerge in industries where social, professional and financial relationships frequently overlap. At the same time, allegations contained in private lists remain allegations unless independently established through investigations, court proceedings or other reliable evidence.