An attorney for Vin Diesel issued a statement Thursday, saying the actor denies the “outlandish” claims made by his former assistant in a lawsuit alleging sexual battery, discrimination, and wrongful termination.
“Let me be very clear, 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 nine-day employee,” attorney Bryan Freedman said.
“There is clear evidence which completely refutes these outlandish allegations,” Freedman added.
Related Story: Vin Diesel Sued by Former Assistant for Alleged Sexual Battery and Discrimination
The statement was released a few hours after Asta Jonasson filed the civil lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Vanity Fair was the first outlet to report on the lawsuit. The complaint says Jonasson worked for Diesel’s One Race company in 2010, while the actor was filming Fast Five.
Jonasson alleges Diesel pinned her to a wall, groped her and pleasured himself in front of her while he was staying at the St. Regis Hotel in Atlanta in September 2010.
The complaint says she went to Diesel’s bedroom to escort him out of the hotel. It alleges the actor “grabbed Ms. Jonasson’s wrists, one with each of his hands, and pulled her onto the bed. Ms. Jonasson landed on the bed, facing Vin Diesel.”
Per the complaint, the former assistant “was able to squirm away” and then “ran out of the bedroom, and stood by the front door of the suite.”
The suit then claims Diesel chased her through the luxury suite.
The lawsuit goes on to say Diesel caught up to her and allegedly “pinned her to the wall with the left side of his body, and again began to grope Ms. Jonasson’s body, including her breasts.” Diesel then allegedly “pulled his penis out of his underwear” and began to masturbate.
The suit says Jonasson heard Diesel make “groaning noises,” then the actor “quickly released her” and walked away.
“Hours later,” Diesel’s sister Samantha Vincent — president of One Race — called Jonasson and fired her, according to the 26-page complaint. Jonasson worked for the company less than two weeks.
The lawsuit says she signed a non-disclosure agreement that prevented her from reporting the incident.
The complaint says she was a resident of California in 2010, and is now coming forward because of California’s “Sexual Abuse and Cover Up Accountability Act.”
The law allows victims to recover damages suffered as a result of a sexual assault that occurred on or after Jan. 1, 2009.
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