A woman who worked for Vin Diesel for less than two weeks before being let go in 2010 says the actor sexually assaulted her, then had his sister terminate her employment because she resisted.
Asta Jonasson sued the actor under the California law passed last year that opened up a three-year window during which people can sue for alleged sexual abuse even if it would otherwise be past the statute of limitations, CBS News reports.
Jonasson worked for Diesel while he was filming Fast Five, and she says that during an event in Georgia, Diesel asked her to wait in his suite at an Atlanta hotel while he entertained guests.
She says he found her there after they left, pulled her onto the bed, and started kissing her, and that she tried to get away immediately, per the Hollywood Reporter.
She says Diesel followed her out of the bedroom, restrained her again, and started groping and molesting her.
After he allegedly pulled her underwear down, she says she screamed and ran away, at which point he followed her again, pinned her to the wall, and started fondling her breasts.
She claims he then masturbated in front of her, and that hours later, his sister—president of Diesel’s One Race Films company—called to let her know her help was no longer needed.
“The message was clear. Ms. Jonasson was fired for courageously resisting Vin Diesel’s sexual assault, Vin Diesel would be protected, and his sexual assault covered up,” the lawsuit says.
“Let me be very clear, Vin Diesel categorically denies this claim in its entirety,” his lawyer says, per Deadline. “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.” Jonasson says another One Race employee also propositioned her before the alleged assault at Diesel’s hands.