In a statement issued after his former assistant filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles, the 'Fast and Furious' actor's lawyer Bryan Freedman says his client 'categorically denies ... these outlandish allegations.'
- Dec 22, 2023
AceShowbiz - Vin Diesel has shared his response after he's dragged to court by his former assistant. In a statement issued by his lawyer on Thursday, December 21, the Hollywood star "categorically denies" the allegations of sexual battery leveled at him by his ex-employee.
"Let me be very clear, Vin Diesel categorically denies this claim in its entirety," Bryan Freedman, a lawyer for Diesel, said in the statement. "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."
The allegations were brought forward by Diesel's former assistant Asta Jonasson. In a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday, December 21, she alleges a violent encounter with the actor at the St. Regis Hotel, Atlanta in September 2010 during the filming of "Fast Five".
Jonasson, whose responsibilities included organizing and accompanying the "Fast and Furious" star to parties to ensure no photographs of him were taken, claims one night, after he was entertaining multiple women and the guests left, he "forcibly grabbed Ms. Jonasson, groped her breasts, and kissed her."
The Dominic Toretto depicter reportedly "pinned her against the wall with his body and grabbed Ms. Jonasson's hand and placed it on his erect penis." The lawsuit further reads, "Disgusted by being forced to touch his penis, Ms. Jonasson instantaneously withdrew her hand and again verbally refused him."
Jonasson claims Diesel "ignored [her] pleas" and then "began to masturbate" while keeping her pinned to the wall. Hours later, his sister Samantha Vincent, who is the president of One Race, reportedly called her.
"Rather than take any actions to protect Ms. Jonasson from further sexual assaults or punish Vin Diesel for his egregious actions, Vincent stated that One Race no longer needed 'any extra help' and terminated Ms. Jonasson's employment," the suit states. "The message was clear. Ms. Jonasson was fired for courageously resisting Vin Diesel's sexual assault, Vin Diesel would be protected, and his sexual assault covered up."
Jonasson is seeking damages for lost wages and emotional distress, in addition to "punitive and exemplary damages in an amount sufficient to punish Defendants, and to make an example of and deter Defendants from engaging in such conduct in the future."
