Vin Diesel has been accused of sexual battery in a lawsuit by a former assistant.
Asta Jonasson claims that she was working with the actor in Atlanta during the filming of Fast Five when he took her to his suite at the St. Regis Hotel and compelled her onto his bed.
As per the lawsuit, she requested him to stop and started moving towards the door, but he approached her, groping her and kissing her chest. He attempted to lower her underwear, prompting her to scream and run towards the bathroom. Jonasson claims that Diesel pushed her against the wall and coerced her into touching him, after which he proceeded to masturbate.
“Ms. Jonasson was unable to escape and closed her eyes, scared of angering Vin Diesel by rejecting him further and trying to dissociate, wishing the assault would end,” the suit alleges.
According to the lawsuit, several hours later, Samantha Vincent, Diesel’s sister and the president of his company, phoned Jonasson and terminated 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 suit alleges. “Ms. Jonasson felt like she was a piece of trash to be discarded. Ms. Jonasson felt helpless, her self esteem was demolished, and she questioned her own skills and whether a successful career would require her to trade her body for advancement.”
Under California’s Sexual Abuse and Cover-Up Accountability Act of 2022, Jonasson lodged the sexual battery lawsuit, taking advantage of a one-year window allowing the filing of certain suits that would otherwise exceed the statute of limitations. To meet the criteria, the defendant must have attempted to conceal at least one prior sexual assault allegation.
Apart from the sexual battery accusation, the lawsuit also asserts claims of gender discrimination, wrongful termination, retaliation, and negligent supervision.
