A former assistant to “Fast & Furious” franchise star Vin Diesel sued him Thursday, alleging that he sexually battered her in 2010 and created a hostile work environment. In the lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, Asta Jonasson alleges that Diesel forced himself on her in a hotel suite in Atlanta, where the actor was filming the movie “Fast Five.”
Jonasson says Diesel forcibly groped her breasts and kissed her chest despite her asking him to stop, according to the suit. She also screamed and ran towards the bathroom when Diesel tried to pull down her underwear.
Jonasson alleges Diesel “pinned her against the wall with his body” and forced her to touch his erect penis, and began to masturbate. “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 claims.
Diesel’s attorney Bryan Freedman maintained the actor’s innocence in a statement to CNN on Friday: “Vin Diesel categorically denies this claim in its entirety. This is the first he has ever heard about this more than 13-year-old claim made by a purportedly 9-day employee.”
Jonasson says she was fired by Samantha Vincent, Diesel’s sister and president of his company, a few hours after the assault.
“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.”
