Laurence Escalante: Billionaire founder of VGW quits directorships in wake of domestic violence, drug charges

Virtual Gaming Worlds’ billionaire founder Laurence Escalante has quit a raft of directorships across his empire after being charged last week with domestic violence and drug offences. Company filings show the 44-year-old resigned as a director of up to 18 companies on Sunday, including his privately owned VGW Holdings and his Lance East family office. Mr Escalante appeared in Perth Magistrates Court on Friday on eight charges, including aggravated assault, criminal damage, aggravated home burglary and stealing. While he has since taken a leave of absence from his executive chair role at VGW, which he founded in 2010, there is no regulatory obligation for him to resign his directorships given the charges remain unproven. The relinquished directorships include Lance East Aviation, which operates Mr Escalante’s private jet, and Lance East Exotics, which holds his luxury supercar dealership. Lance East Office was set up in 2021 to manage the tech entrepreneur’s private assets, a growing suite of outside investments and his philanthropic activities. Police allege Mr Escalante broke into his former partner’s home on January 26, attacked her and stole several items. Police have also charged him with persistently engaging in family violence, allegedly committed between June 2025 and January 2026. In addition, they say he had cocaine, MDMA and ketamine when they raided his home, and have charged him with three counts of possessing drugs with intent to sell or supply. In a statement issued on Saturday, Mr Escalante described his arrest as a shock. “From the little I know of allegations at this stage, I can only say that they are untrue and will be defended,” he said. During his leave of absence, VGW is being managed by his long-time confidante Mats Johnson, as acting chief executive. Mr Johnson, VGW’s one-time chief marketing director, was until last year a director of VGW alongside Mr Escalante and the latter’s father until stepping down last year after Mr Escalante’s buyout.