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Activision Blizzard CEO Reportedly Used Secret Companies for Political Donations

By Noam Radcliffe

Bobby Kotick's political donations tend toward the conservative.
Bobby Kotick's political donations tend toward the conservative. / Drew Angerer/GettyImages

Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick used two secret companies as fronts through which to donate hundreds of thousands of dollars to conservative political campaigns, per a pair of CNBC reports published this week.

CNBC found the two companies, named 807080A LLC and Norgate LLC, in FEC filings, with 807080A LLC listing the same California address as Kotick's 803011 foundation and Norgate using an address a one-minute walk away. The government watchdog group Campaign Legal Center says Norgate LLC also shares a personal mailbox with Kotick and his foundation.

Through these entities, Kotick contributed more than $600,000 to political action committees supporting Republican candidates, including Sen. Mitch McConnell and Pennsylvania Senate hopeful and former Bush administration official Dave McCormick. These contributions far outweigh those made under his own name.

A representative for Kotick told CNBC that 807080A LLC "has been around since 2008 and manages some of Mr. Kotick's investments."

"Mr. Kotick contributes to Democratic and Republican candidates and is supporting David McCormick because he is a very close friend."

Kotick's also lawyer denied the corporations were secret to Kotaku, saying "they are legitimate limited liability corporations lawfully incorporated" and that information on them "is publicly available."

"Mr. Kotick established these corporations for the banal, legitimate and completely lawful purpose of managing his investments," the lawyer said. He also said Kotick has "donated roughly the same amount to democratic political candidates as he has to republican political candidates."

Kotick's tenure as Activision Blizzard CEO has been deeply marred by controversy over the last couple of years. His company is actively being investigated by the SEC and the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing for misleading investors and fostering a toxic workplace, respectively. He is expected to step down from his role as CEO when Microsoft's $68.7 billion acquisition of his company goes through — provided it's approved by the Federal Trade Commission.