Hollywood actor Vin Diesel, faces allegations of sexual assault from a former assistant.
The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles on Thursday, claims that in 2010, during the filming of ‘Fast Five’ in Atlanta, Diesel sexually assaulted Asta Jonasson, who was working on the set at the time.
In the civil suit lodged at the Los Angeles Superior Court, Asta Jonasson accuses Diesel of forcibly engaging in inappropriate conduct within a hotel suite in Atlanta.
The complaint, asserts that Vin Diesel disregarded Asta Jonasson’s explicit expressions of non-consent.
Allegedly, when she attempted to evade the situation by running towards a nearby bathroom and screaming, Vin Diesel physically restrained her against a wall.
Vin Diesel’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, vehemently refutes the allegations, stating, “Vin Diesel categorically denies this claim in its entirety. This is the first he has ever heard about this more than 13-year-old claim made by a purportedly 9-day employee.”
In her legal action, Asta Jonasson is suing Vin Diesel, his production company One Race Productions, and Vin Diesel’s sister Samantha Vincent. The charges include sexual battery, creating a hostile work environment, negligent supervision, and wrongful termination, among others.
Asta Jonasson contends that Samantha Vincent, who was the president of Diesel’s company One Race at the time, terminated her employment “mere hours” after the alleged assault.
The plaintiff (Asta Jonasson) seeks a civil penalty of USD 10,000 for each violation, along with unspecified punitive damages.
Claire-Lise Kutlay of Greenberg Gross LLP, attorney for Asta Jonasson, emphasized in a statement, “No one is too famous or powerful to evade justice. We hope her courageous decision to come forward helps create lasting change and empowers other survivors.”
