Former Pokémon Company Employee Arrested for Bathroom Surveillance

Ben Tsai, a 44-year-old resident of Bothell, Washington, was arrested earlier this month for allegedly concealing a camera in a Starbucks bathroom in Kirkland. During questioning, Tsai reportedly confessed to hiding cameras in public restrooms numerous times, including at local supermarkets and his workplace. While the court documents did not specify his employer, an investigation by a local outlet revealed that Tsai’s last job was with The Pokémon Company.

In a statement, The Pokémon Company confirmed that Tsai is no longer with the organization as of earlier this month and stated that they are cooperating with law enforcement in the ongoing investigation. Tsai held the position of director of engineering at the company’s Bellevue office, and prosecutors allege that he specifically targeted transgender colleagues.

A spokesperson for the Bellevue police indicated that there had been no prior reports of voyeurism involving Tsai at The Pokémon Company and that they were not investigating his conduct at work. They encouraged anyone with relevant information to come forward.

Details on how Tsai was apprehended reveal that he used his credit card to purchase coffee at Starbucks, which led to his confession about hiding cameras in various locations “no more than fifty times.” He claimed he does not distribute or sell the videos he records, stating that his interest was primarily in understanding transgender individuals and that he was not attracted to children.

A detective noted in the report that Tsai admitted to placing a camera in his workplace bathroom and confirmed the presence of transgender employees in his office. Police have confiscated equipment and a hard drive from Tsai’s residence, with his trial scheduled for March.