Vin Diesel sued for sexual battery by former assistant

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WARNING: GRAPHIC DETAILS

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Vin Diesel has been accused of sexual battery by his former assistant stemming from an alleged encounter that took place in 2010.

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In a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Thursday, Asta Jonasson accused the Fast & Furious star of sexually assaulting her in the fall of 2010 during the filming of Fast Five in Atlanta, Variety, Vanity Fair and Rolling Stone reported.

Jonasson alleges that Diesel, 56, allegedly grabbed her wrists and “pulled her onto the bed.” The actor is also accused of pushing her up against a wall and forcing her to touch his penis, before he began to masturbate.

“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,” read court documents obtained by Us Weekly. “But this hope died when Vin Diesel dropped to his knees, pushed Ms. Jonasson’s dress up toward her waist, and molested her body.”

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Jonasson claimed she tried to “disassociate” from the assault to avoid upsetting the Hollywood star.

“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, Samantha Vincent, Diesel’s sister and the president of his company, then fired Jonasson hours later.

“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.”

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A lawyer from Greenberg Gross, the firm representing Jonasson, added in a statement: “We are proud to represent Ms. Jonasson and hold accountable Vin Diesel and those who allowed and covered up his sexual assault. The law exists to protect those who have been wronged, no matter how powerful or famous the defendant is. Sexual harassment in the workplace will never stop if powerful men are protected from accountability.”

The Toronto Sun has reached out to Diesel for comment. None of the allegations have been tested in court.

USA Today reports that although Jonasson signed a nondisclosure agreement when she accepted the role working with Diesel, she was able to file the claims because of the Speak Out Act, which prevents the enforcement of nondisclosure agreements in instances of sexual assault and assault and harassment.

Diesel has yet to respond to the allegations publicly.

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