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Vin Diesel Sued by Ex-Assistant for Alleged Sexual Battery

Vin Diesel’s previous assistant Asta Jonasson sued the actor on Thursday, claiming back in 2010 he forced her against a wall in a hotel suite and sexually assaulted her. By: Dylan Low

She alleges while working for the actor in Atlanta where he was shooting for Fast Five, he took her to his suite at the St. Regis Hotel and pinned her onto his bed.

The lawsuit stated she told him to stop and went towards the door, however he advanced towards her, doing sexual deeds such as touching her breasts and kissing her chest. When he attempted to pull down her underwear, she screamed and dashed to the bathroom.

“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 further elaborated.

After a few hours, Samantha Vincent, who is Diesel’s sister and the president of his company, called Jonasson and fired her, according to the lawsuit.

“It was clear to her that she was being fired because she was no longer useful — Vin Diesel had used her to fulfil his sexual desires and she had resisted his sexual assaults,” the suit detailed. “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.”

Bryan Freedman, Diesel’s attorney, released a statement on Thursday afternoon, dismissing the authenticity of the allegations.

“Let me be very clear: Vin Diesel categorically denies this claim in its entirety,” Freedman mentioned. “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.”

Jonasson applied for a sexual battery lawsuit under California’s Sexual Abuse and Cover Up Accountability Act, a 2022 law that consists of a one-year window to claim particular suits that would otherwise be excluded of the statute of limitations. For qualification, the defendant must be involved in a situation involving dropping a prior sexual assault allegation.

Aside from the sexual battery charges, the suit also highlights claims of gender discrimination, unjustified termination, retaliation and negligent supervision.

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