Vin Diesel, the star of the ‘Fast and Furious’ franchise, is facing sexual assault allegations from a former assistant. According to a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles on Thursday, the Hollywood actor is accused of sexually assaulting Asta Jonasson in 2010 while she was working on the ‘Fast Five’ set in Atlanta, as reported by CNN.
In a civil suit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, Diesel’s former assistant, Asta Jonasson, claims that he forced himself on her in a hotel suite in Atlanta in 2010.
The complaint, as reported by CNN, states that Diesel disregarded Jonasson’s “clear statements of non-consent.” After she “screamed and ran towards the nearby bathroom,” he allegedly “pinned her against the wall with his body.”
However, Diesel’s attorney Bryan Freedman stated to CNN on Friday, “Vin Diesel categorically denies this claim in its entirety.” He added, “This is the first he has ever heard about this more than 13-year-old claim made by a purportedly 9-day employee.”
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Jonasson is suing Diesel, along with his company One Race Productions, and Diesel’s sister Samantha Vincent for sexual battery, creating a hostile work environment, negligent supervision, and wrongful termination, among other claims.
According to CNN, Jonasson alleges that Samantha Vincent, the president of Diesel’s company One Race at the time, terminated her employment “mere hours” after the alleged assault. The victim is seeking a civil penalty of USD 10,000 for each violation, plus unspecified punitive damages, according to the suit.
Claire-Lise Kutlay of Greenberg Gross LLP, the attorney for Jonasson, wrote in a statement shared with CNN, “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.”
Diesel has appeared in over 60 TV and film titles and is also one of the producers of “Fast & Furious” films. He has several upcoming projects in the works, including ‘Fast X: Part 2’, as reported by CNN. (ANI)