A former Pokémon engineering executive is facing a class-action lawsuit after hidden cameras were allegedly discovered in a bathroom at The Pokémon Company's US headquarters.

The legal action comes against the backdrop of a particularly busy period for The Pokémon Company, which continues to oversee one of the world's biggest entertainment franchises across games, merchandise, trading cards, and other media.

According to reporting from The Seattle Times, former Pokémon engineering executive Ben Tsai is facing a civil lawsuit filed by an anonymous plaintiff in King County Superior Court. The lawsuit was filed on July 30 and names both Tsai and The Pokémon Company as defendants.

The plaintiff alleges that hidden cameras were placed inside a bathroom at The Pokémon Company's Bellevue, Washington headquarters. The lawsuit is seeking class-action status and would potentially represent women and girls who used bathrooms at the company's Bellevue office between 2017 and July 25, 2026.

The period covered by the proposed class is reportedly intended to account for the time during which Tsai may have had access to the company's facilities.

The civil case follows a much larger criminal investigation involving Tsai. The 45-year-old former executive was arrested and charged with first-degree voyeurism in January 2026 after authorities reportedly discovered a hidden camera inside a Starbucks bathroom in Kirkland, Washington.

According to the investigation, authorities subsequently found evidence suggesting that cameras had allegedly been placed in several other locations. These reportedly included a Safeway store in Kirkland, Tsai's home, and a bathroom at The Pokémon Company's Bellevue offices.

The investigation also reportedly uncovered videos involving child sexual abuse material and adult nudity. Tsai was subsequently charged with offenses related to possessing and distributing such material. Through his attorney, Tsai has pleaded not guilty to all criminal charges.

Tsai is currently being held on a $500,000 bond.The new civil lawsuit also alleges that The Pokémon Company was negligent in its handling of the situation and failed to adequately protect people who used the company's facilities. The plaintiff's attorneys have argued that the company had responsibilities to protect employees and visitors, including children.

Attorney Alex Dietz, one of the lawyers representing the plaintiff, said that The Pokémon Company needed to take steps to protect children.The Pokémon Company has not publicly commented on the details of the lawsuit. However, the company acknowledged that Tsai was no longer employed following his January arrest.

It remains unclear how the civil lawsuit will develop or whether it will ultimately receive class-action certification. The criminal case against Tsai is also ongoing, meaning there are multiple legal proceedings surrounding the allegations.

This is not the first time The Pokémon Company has faced legal action. In May 2026, a 34-year-old Iowa man named Kyle Owens filed a lawsuit against the company after he was denied Pokémon Professor status.

Owens claimed that he was rejected after completing an examination and undergoing a background check. According to reports, the background check identified an arrest warrant from another state connected to previous misdemeanor charges.

That case is separate from the allegations involving Tsai and does not involve the company's Bellevue headquarters.

For now, the most serious legal questions surrounding The Pokémon Company concern the allegations against its former employee and whether the company could be held responsible for what allegedly occurred on its premises.

With both the criminal investigation and civil lawsuit still developing, more details could emerge as the legal proceedings continue. The Pokémon Company has acknowledged Tsai's departure but has not commented further on the allegations or the claims made against the company.