Vin Diesel’s former assistant, Asta Jonasson, has filed a sexual battery lawsuit against the “Fast and the Furious” star over an alleged incident that took place at the St. Regis hotel in Atlanta in September 2010.
She claims in the complaint filed in Los Angeles Thursday and obtained by that the action star, now 56, invited her to his suite after coming back from a club with hostesses.
After the other women left, Diesel, whose real name is Mark Sinclair, allegedly grabbed Jonasson’s wrists and pulled her onto the bed.
The accuser claims she asked her ex-boss to stop but he then allegedly groped her breasts and kissed her chest “despite her pleas,” per the suit.
“Ms. Jonasson was afraid to more forcibly refuse her supervisor, knowing that getting him out of that room was both crucial to her personal safety and job security,” the lawsuit also states.
“But this hope died when Vin Diesel 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.”
Jonasson claims she ran away from Diesel at one point, heading toward the bathroom, but the “Bloodshot” star allegedly pinned her against a wall and placed her hand on his “erect penis” as he then masturbated.
“Terrified, Ms. Jonasson closed her eyes, trying to dissociate from the sexual assault and avoid angering him,” the lawsuit states.
“Ms. Jonasson then heard groaning noises from Vin Diesel …. Jonasson was frozen in a state of shock and unable to move.”
Jonasson was a recent Los Angeles film school program graduate at the time, who had been hired to work for Diesel’s company, One Race, while his film “Fast Five” was in production.
She was tasked with organizing parties, accompanying the movie star to parties and making sure that she was in “close proximity” to him when he was photographed alongside other women.
However, Jonasson claims she was fired within hours of Diesel’s alleged assault on her.
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The “xXx” star’s sister, Samantha Vincent, allegedly handled the termination and is also named as a defendant in the suit. Jonasson’s employment reportedly only lasted a total of two weeks.
The suit states, “It was clear to her that she was being fired because she was no longer useful — Vin Diesel had used her to fulfill his sexual desires and she had resisted his sexual assaults.”
Aside from sexual battery, Jonasson is also suing for discrimination based on sex/gender, intentional infliction of emotional distress, hostile work environment, wrongful termination and retaliation.
The former assistant alleges in the complaint first obtained by Vanity Fair that she suffered “and continues to suffer humiliation, emotional distress, and mental and physical pain and anguish.”
She claims she did not speak up sooner because of a non-disclosure agreement she signed.
However, Jonasson was empowered by the #MeToo movement and the Speak Out Act, which prevents the enforcement of non-disclosure agreements in instances of sexual assault and harassment, to “reclaim her agency and justice for the suffering she endured at the hands of Vin Diesel and One Race.”
Responding to the allegations, Diesel’s attorney Bryan Freedman released the following statement to : “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 9-day employee. There is clear evidence which completely refutes these outlandish allegations.”
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-330-0226.
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