According to Vanity Fair, a former assistant to actor Vin Diesel has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles, alleging that the Fast & Furious star sexually assaulted her during the filming of Fast Five in 2010. The plaintiff, Asta Jonasson, who was hired by Diesel’s company, One Race, claims she was sexually battered while working for the actor in Atlanta. According to the lawsuit, Jonasson was asked to wait in Diesel’s hotel suite one night, where he allegedly assaulted her by grabbing her wrists, groping her breasts, and kissing her chest despite her pleas to stop.
The lawsuit further details that Diesel escalated the assault, attempting to pull down Jonasson’s underwear, and eventually pinning her to a wall while placing her hand on his erect penis. The suit alleges that Diesel masturbated while Jonasson, terrified, tried to dissociate from the assault. Hours later, Samantha Vincent, Diesel’s sister and president of One Race, reportedly called Jonasson to terminate her employment after less than two weeks on the job.
The lawsuit includes claims of sexual battery, discrimination based on sex/gender, intentional infliction of emotional distress, hostile work environment, wrongful termination, and retaliation. It also accuses Diesel and his production company of an attempted cover-up. Jonasson, who signed a nondisclosure agreement, was able to file the claims under the Speak Out Act, which prevents the enforcement of nondisclosure agreements in cases of sexual assault, and California’s AB2777, temporarily waiving statutes of limitations for sexual abuse allegations.
The lawsuit emphasizes Jonasson’s empowerment by the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements, inspiring her to seek justice for the suffering she alleges to have endured at the hands of Vin Diesel and One Race.
