Francesco Castaldo/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty ImagesSimple Plan has announced that longtime bassist David Desrosiers has left the band after he was accused of sexual misconduct.
According to Canadian music site Exclaim.ca, the allegations came to light on an Instagram page called @victims_voices_montreal, which has been sharing #MeToo stories from Canada. In an anonymous post, a girl accused Desrosiers of making lewd comments to her when she was a minor, and then pursuing her when she came of age. They began a sexual relationship, though Desrosiers would allegedly pressure the woman into situations she was uncomfortable with, and threatened her if she refused.
The post also says that several other women are victims of Desrosiers' alleged behavior.
"Following recent public statements, David Desrosiers is withdrawing from the band in order to work on his personal issues," reads a statement from Simple Plan.
"We offer our deepest apologies to the women who were hurt by his actions," the band continues. "We are also sorry for all our fans who are disappointed by this regretful situation. We will, as a band, take time to pause, reflect and put in place guidelines to prevent similar situations from happening."
Desrosiers also shared a statement of his own, reading, "Recent public statements have led me to acknowledge that some of the interactions I have had with women have caused them harm."
"I have decided to withdraw from the band and seek professional help to educate myself and act appropriately in the future," he writes. "I am truly sorry for the harm I have caused to these women."
Desrosiers has been in Simple Plan since 2000, and played on all the band's albums.
By Josh Johnson
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