Tech CEO arrested for sexually assaulting child, battery of officer
Zain Jaffer, a 29-year old CEO of a Silicon Valley tech firm, was fired this week after his arrest on charges of sexually assaulting a child and battery of an officer, authorities said.
Jaffer’s father reportedly called police to the family house in Hillsborough, a tony community south of San Francisco, around 4 a.m. on Oct. 15, according to local media reports.
Jaffer was arrested for attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, battery upon an officer and emergency personnel, lewd act upon a child and oral copulation of a person under 14, according to the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Department website..
The attempted murder charge has since been dropped, according to some reports.
Daniel Olmos, Jaffer’s attorney, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Times on Sunday.
Jaffer ran Vungle, a start-up that makes video ads tailored for mobile devices.
“We are aware of the extremely serious allegations leveled against our former CEO, and we are shocked beyond words,” the company’s new CEO, Rick Tallman, said in a statement announcing Jaffer’s termination on Friday. “While these charges are completely unrelated to his former role at the company, they are obviously so serious that it led to his immediate removal.”
Jaffer’s next court date is Nov. 1, according to his profile on the sheriff’s website.
Follow on Twitter at @JackDolanLAT
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
