American actor Vin Diesel, star of Fast and FuriousHe is accused of sexual assault by a former assistant, according to a civil lawsuit filed Thursday in California courts that extended the statute of limitations for sex crimes.
The incident in question dates back to 2010 and allegedly occurred in a hotel room in Atlanta in the southeastern United States during the filming of the fifth episode of the Fast and Furious saga.
The plaintiff, Asta Jonasson, who had just been hired by the team of the film “Fast and Furious,” was sent to help the actor leave the hotel early in the morning while avoiding the paparazzi.
“While she was alone with him in the hotel suite, Vin Diesel sexually assaulted her, fondling her breasts and kissing her. “Ms. “Jonasson struggled to free himself from his grasp while she repeatedly told him no,” the complaint says, noting that the actor then tried to remove her underwear.
According to the document, the complainant – who refused to remain anonymous – then fled to the bathroom, pursued by Vin Diesel, whose real name is Mark Sinclair Vincent.
The actor then forced her to touch him before pushing her against a wall and masturbating in front of her.
The complainant states that the day after the incident she was fired over the phone by Samantha Vincent, the actor's sister and manager of the company where he was employed.
“Vin Diesel categorically denies these allegations in their entirety,” the actor’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, said in a statement quoted by trade magazine Variety. “This is the first time he has heard of this complaint, which dates back 13 years and is filed by a person who only worked 9 days,” his lawyer added.
Asta Jonasson, who says he found the courage to speak out thanks to the #MeToo free speech movement, is suing the actor, his sister and their companies for undisclosed damages.
The California judiciary's recent extension of the statute of limitations for sex crimes allowed the plaintiff to file a lawsuit.