Current:Home > ScamsVin Diesel accused of sexual battery by former assistant in lawsuit-LoTradeCoin
Vin Diesel accused of sexual battery by former assistant in lawsuit
View Date:2024-12-23 23:00:17
LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Fast and Furious” star Vin Diesel has been accused by his former assistant of sexual battery while working for him in 2010.
Asta Jonasson filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles on Thursday alleging that Diesel forced himself onto her in a hotel suite in Atlanta. The lawsuit alleges she tried to escape from the room after being forced into Diesel’s bed, but the actor moved toward her then groped her breasts and kissed her chest.
Diesel attempted to pull down her underwear, causing her to scream as she ran toward the nearby bathroom. He eventually forced her to touch his erect penis and began to masturbate, the suit says.
The lawsuit said Jonasson closed her eyes in fear of angering Diesel any further and wished the assault would end.
Jonasson was fired hours later by Diesel’s sister Samantha Vincent, who is also the president of his One Race Productions.
The lawsuit stated that Jonasson felt like she was a “piece of trash” and her self esteem was “demolished.”
“It was clear to her that she was being fired because she was no longer useful — Vin Diesel had used her to fulfill his sexual desires and she had resisted his sexual assaults,” the suit alleges.
Jonasson is suing Diesel and his company for creating a hostile work environment, negligent supervision and wrongful termination, among her other claims.
“Let me be very clear: Vin Diesel categorically denies this claim in its entirety,” attorney Bryan Freedman said in a statement reported by the trade outlet Variety. “This is the first he has ever heard about this more than 13-year-old claim made by a purportedly 9-day employee. There is clear evidence which completely refutes these outlandish allegations.”
Jonasson’s attorney, Claire-Lise Kutlay, said in a statement that her client’s lawsuit seeks to hold Diesel and those who “allowed and covered up his sexual assault, accountable for their egregious actions.”
“Employers must protect and defend people when they speak up about sexual assault and harassment,” Kutlay said. “We hope Ms. Jonasson’s courageous decision to come forward helps create lasting change and empowers other survivors.”
The Associated Press generally does not identify alleged victims of sexual assault unless they come forward publicly, as Jonasson has done.
Diesel has starred as Dominic Toretto since the “The Fast and Furious” franchise’s inaugural film in 2001. The movies have become big earners at the domestic and international box office, with the past two films each making more than $1 billion.
Earlier this year, the franchise’s tenth installment, “Fast X,” starring Diesel, opened with $67.5 million in ticket sales.
___
This story has been updated to correct that the accuser’s first name is Asta, not Astra.
veryGood! (8898)
Related
- Powerball winning numbers for November 11 drawing: Jackpot hits $103 million
- Young Thug trial judge removed over allegations of 'improper' meeting
- The Best Amazon Prime Day 2024 Alternative Sales: 60% Off Wayfair, 50% Off Old Navy, 20% Off MAC & More
- Hall of Fame RB Terrell Davis says he was placed in handcuffs on United Airlines flight
- Garth Brooks wants to move his sexual assault case to federal court. How that could help the singer.
- Will Ferrell Shares the Criticism He Got From Elf Costar James Caan
- Ingrid Andress Checking Into Rehab After Drunk National Anthem Performance at Home Run Derby
- Border arrests plunge 29% in June to the lowest of Biden’s presidency as asylum halt takes hold
- Birth control and abortion pill requests have surged since Trump won the election
- Tornado hits Des Moines, weather service confirms. No injuries reported
Ranking
- Republican Scott Baugh concedes to Democrat Dave Min in critical California House race
- President of Dickinson State University in North Dakota resigns after nursing faculty quit
- What to watch as the Republican National Convention enters its second day in Milwaukee
- Rite Aid closing dozens of additional stores. Here's where.
- Trading wands for whisks, new Harry Potter cooking show brings mess and magic
- Inside Richard Simmons' Final Days Before Death
- Details emerge about deaths of dad and daughter from Wisconsin and 3rd hiker who died in Utah park
- Retail sales unchanged in June from May, underscoring shoppers’ resilience
Recommendation
-
Taylor Swift's Dad Scott Swift Photobombs Couples Pic With Travis Kelce
-
Biden orders Secret Service protection for RFK Jr. following Trump assassination attempt
-
Prime Day 2024 Deal: Save 30% on Laneige Products Used by Sydney Sweeney, Alix Earle, Hannah Brown & More
-
Who is Ruben Gutierrez? The Texas man is set for execution in retired schoolteacher's murder
-
Joey Graziadei Details Why Kelsey Anderson Took a Break From Social Media
-
Clean Energy Projects Are Stuck in a Years-Long Queue. Maryland and Neighboring States Are Pushing for a Fix
-
Hawaii ag agency won’t get all the money slated for pest management after all
-
Prime Day 2024: Save On These 41 Beauty Products Rarely Go on Sale- Tatcha, Color Wow, Laneige & More