Fast and Furious star Vin Diesel ‘categorically denies’ accusations of sexual assault
Bankable Hollywood actor, who plays Groot in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’, has been accused of assaulting his former assistant
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Your support makes all the difference.Fast and Furious actor Vin Diesel has denied his former assistant’s accusations of sexual assault.
On Thursday (21 December), it was revealed that Asta Jonasson, who briefly worked for the bankable Hollywood actor while he was filming the fifth Fast and Furious film in 2010, had filed a lawsuit against the star.
According to legal documents, Diesel – who also appears in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise as Groot – is accused of “grabbing Ms Jonasson’s wrists, one with each of his hands, and pullng her onto” a bed in his hotel suite in Atlanta, Georgia. He is also accused of groping Jonasson’s breasts and kissing her chest, ignoring her pleas for him to stop.
The documents, which were obtained by Vanity Fair, claim that Jonasson was asked to wait for the actor, whose real name is Mark Sinclair, while he entertained nightclub hostesses he had invited back. The alleged sexual battery is said to have occurred after the women had left.
Diesel’s attorney Bryan Freedman responded to the claims, stating: “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. There is clear evidence which completely refutes these outlandish allegations.”
Elsewhere in the lawsuit, it’s claimed that, shortly after the alleged incident, Diesel’s sister and president of his entertainment company One Race, Samantha Vincent, called Jonasson to terminate her employment.
“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,” the lawsuit says.
In addition to sexual battery, Jonasson is suing for intentional infliction of emotional distress, wrongful termination, hostile work environment, and retaliation, among other things.
The suit says that Jonasson remained silent in the ensuing years after having signed a nondisclosure agreement when she was hired by One Race.
However, with the passing of last year’s congressional Speak Out Act, which prevents the enforcement of non-disclosure agreements in instances of sexual assault and harassment, Jonasson was able to file her lawsuit and “reclaim her agency and justice for the suffering she endured at the hands of Vin Diesel and One Race”.
The Independent has contacted Diesel’s lawyer and One Race for further comment.