Vin Diesel Accused of Sexual Battery in Lawsuit Brought by Former Assistant

The civil suit, filed on Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court and obtained by CNN, stems from a 2010 incident in which Diesel’s former assistant, Asta Jonasson, alleges Diesel forced himself on her in a hotel suite in Atlanta and masturbated in front of her.

The complaint states Diesel ignored Jonasson’s “clear statements of non-consent,” and after she “screamed and ran towards the nearby bathroom,” he “pinned her against the wall with his body.”  

“Vin Diesel categorically denies this claim in its entirety,” Bryan Freedman, attorney for Diesel, wrote in a statement to CNN later on Friday. “This is the first he has ever heard about this more than 13-year-old claim made by a purportedly 9-day employee.”  

Jonasson is suing Diesel, along with his company One Race Productions, and Diesel’s sister Samantha Vincent for sexual battery, creating a hostile work environment, negligent supervision and wrongful termination, among her other claims.  

She is seeking an imposition of a civil penalty of $10,000 for each violation, plus unspecified punitive damages, according to the suit.  

Diesel has appeared in more than 60 TV and film titles. He is also among the producers of the global hit franchise of “Fast & Furious” films. He has several upcoming projects in the works, including “Fast X: Part 2.”