Vin Diesel has been accused of sexual battery, discrimination, wrongful termination, and other claims in a civil lawsuit filed by his former assistant on Thursday, Dec. 21, in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Asta Jonasson, who worked for Diesel’s One Race company in 2010 while the actor and producer was filming Fast Five, alleges he pinned her to a wall, groped her and pleasured himself in front of her, according to the complaint obtained by Deadline.
The lawsuit goes on to allege Jonasson was fired a short time later, in an effort to have the “assault covered up.”
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Diesel released a statement through his attorney denying the claims.
“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.
The complaint says Jonasson was hired to accompany Diesel, born Mark Sinclair Vincent, to parties, organize events, and make sure he wasn’t photographed by paparazzi.
After arriving at an event in the St. Regis Hotel in Atlanta with Diesel in September 2010, Jonasson said she waited in the actor’s suite while he entertained guests.
Early the next morning, the complaint says she went to Diesel’s bedroom to “usher” him out of the hotel. The complaint 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 lawsuit then claims Diesel walked toward her, “proceeded to grope Ms. Jonasson’s body, including her breasts, and forcibly kissed Ms. Jonasson, who continually pleaded with him to stop.”
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The complaint says the actor ignored her pleas and “dropped to his knees, pushed Ms. Jonasson’s dress up toward her waist, and molested her body, running his hands over Ms. Jonasson’s upper legs, including her inner thighs,” and allegedly tried to “pull Ms. Jonasson’s underwear down.”
The suit says she ran down the hallway toward the bathroom, knocking Diesel to the floor. It says he 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.”
Per the complaint, Diesel then allegedly “pulled his penis out of his underwear” and began to masturbate.
“Ms. Jonasson heard Vin Diesel make groaning noises, then Vin Diesel quickly released her, went into the bathroom,” the complaint reads.
The lawsuit says “hours later,” Diesel’s sister Samantha Vincent — president of One Race — called Jonasson and fired her. She worked for the company less than two weeks.
“Ms. Jonasson was fired for courageously resisting Vin Diesel’s sexual assault,” the suit alleges.
The 26-page complaint names Diesel, Samantha Vincent, One Race Productions, One Races Films, and other individuals as defendants.
The lawsuit says Jonasson is seeking statutory damages and penalties of $10,000 for each violation — including alleged discrimination, hostile work environment, retaliation, failure to prevent discrimination, wrongful termination, sexual battery, negligent supervision and retention, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Jonasson says she signed a non-disclosure agreement that prevented her from reporting the incident when it happened.
The complaint says she was a resident of California at the time of the alleged assault, 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. The law, known as Assembly Bill 2777, went into effect on Jan. 1, 2023 and expires on Dec. 31, 2026.
You can read the full lawsuit filed against Vin Diesel here.
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