Vin Diesel Faces Sexual Battery Allegations
In a recent lawsuit reported by Vanity Fair, American actor Vin Diesel is accused of sexual battery by a former assistant, Asta Jonasson, who filed the suit on December 21, 2023, in Los Angeles.
The alleged incident is claimed to have occurred in 2010 at a St. Regis hotel suite during the filming of Fast Five.
Jonasson, a graduate of a Los Angeles film school program, was contracted by Diesel’s company, One Race, to work for the actor in Atlanta. The suit states that she assisted Diesel in organizing parties and was in close proximity to him in public.
According to the lawsuit, in September 2010, Jonasson was asked to wait in Diesel’s suite while he entertained guests.
After the other women left, the suit alleges Diesel grabbed Jonasson, leading her to escape and wait by the suite’s front door. The suit claims Diesel later approached Jonasson, groped her and engaged in unwanted sexual advances despite her pleas to stop.
The suit also alleges that Samantha Vincent, Diesel’s sister and president of One Race, fired Jonasson less than two weeks into the job.
Accusations include discrimination, intentional infliction of emotional distress, hostile work environment, wrongful termination, and retaliation. The suit claims Diesel and One Race attempted a cover-up, causing Jonasson ongoing humiliation and distress.
Jonasson had initially signed a nondisclosure agreement, but the Speak Out Act and California’s AB2777 now allow her to come forward, as they prevent the enforcement of such agreements in instances of sexual assault and harassment.
