Kanye West Sued for Sexual Harassment by Ex-Assistant
Kanye West Sued for Sexual Harassment by Ex-Assistant
Kanye West’s former assistant, Lauren Pisciotta, is suing him for sexual harassment by sending her sexually explicit content and engaging in sex acts while on the phone with her. According to Pisciotta, West also owes her a severance package of $3,000,000 after she was fired in 2022, which he never paid. The lawsuit was filed on June 3, 2024, as verified by TMZ and later confirmed by Rolling Stone, US Weekly, and The Wrap.
Pisciotta claims that she met West in 2021, when she was active on OnlyFans, which was her primary source of income. She was hired to work on the rapper’s Yeezy fashion line and collaborated on several tracks on the Donda album. Eventually, West hired her to be his personal assistant for an annual salary of $1,000,000, with the condition that she was available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Initially, Pisciotta says West was fine with her continuing her side business on OnlyFans, but in 2022, he offered her ,000,000 to delete her account, as he wanted her to be “God-like.” Upon shutting down her account, the ex-assistant alleged that West bombarded her with text messages of a sexual nature, some of them including porn video clips. Furthermore, she said West masturbated while talking to her on the phone and touched himself in front of her after “trapping” her in a room on his private plane.
Though she was promoted to West’s Chief of Staff in September 2022, she was fired shortly after, according to the lawsuit. Pisciotta is suing West and the Yeezy brand for wrongful termination, breach of contract (unpaid severance of $3,000,000), back wages, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and sexual harassment.
It’s unlikely that Pisciotta is the first and only staff member who was subjected to lewd and harassing behavior by Kanye West. Unfortunately, this type of abuse is very common in the music and fashion industry, and many people are afraid to come forward because their job is on the line. But as we’ve seen from last year’s lawsuit filed against Lizzo, the mental scars of sexual harassment don’t go away without acknowledging what happened and taking the necessary steps toward healing. For many victims, that includes filing a sexual abuse lawsuit and seeking compensation for monetary losses and emotional trauma.
The workplace sexual harassment lawyers of DTLA Law Group are here to advise of your rights and help you move forward in a positive direction. Please consider meeting with us for a free consultation if you were sexually harassed or assaulted by Kanye West.
West has an extensive history of inappropriate behavior toward his staff members, including “oversharing” of sexually explicit material that makes people uncomfortable. For example, multiple Yeezy employees told Rolling Stone that West showed them an intimate photo of his then-wife, Kim Kardashian, during job interviews.
They also allege that he showed pornographic films at staff meetings, and West himself has admitted to a “full on pornography addiction” in the past. In an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, he said, “For me, Playboy was my gateway into full-on pornography addiction. My dad had a Playboy left out at age five and it’s affected almost every choice I made for the rest of my life.”
Aside from the lawsuit by Pisciotta, West has been sued by other employees, including a former security guard at his private school, Donda Academy. The claimant, Benjamin Deshon Provo, alleged that West discriminated against him because he was Muslim and due to his refusal to cut his dreadlocks.
We believe it’s only a matter of time before other victims come forward and seek justice for sexual harassment and other abusive treatment from Kanye West. If you are one of these individuals, please contact our law firm and ask to speak with an employment rights lawsuit attorney that specializes in sexual harassment.
Value of a Lawsuit for Sexual Abuse by an EmployerCalifornia has specific limits on the amount that can be paid to victims of sexual harassment in the workplace, which are based on federal laws:
- $50,000 for employers with 15-100 workers
- $100,000 for employers with 101-200 workers
- $200,000 for employers with 201-500 workers
- $300,000 for employers with over 500 workers
Keep in mind that cases of gross negligence (excessive negligence or intentional misconduct) may be awarded punitive damages if they go to trial. But even if you settle your case privately, such factors can add a significant amount to what you are entitled to from a lawsuit. Additionally, the federal caps listed above only apply to the issue of sexual harassment. You may have other damages you can claim, such as unpaid wages, breach of contract, and wrongful termination. One of our attorneys will evaluate your case and help you figure out all the payments you can ask for in a lawsuit against Kanye West for sexual harassment.
How Long Does It Take to Settle a Sexual Harassment Lawsuit?Overall, we have found that claims for sexual abuse take between 1 and 2 years before a settlement is reached. Of course, it’s possible that a fair settlement is offered by the defendant early on in the case and the whole matter is resolved within 6 months. But sexual harassment in the workplace lawsuits often take longer due to circumstances that are beyond our control, which is particularly relevant if your lawsuit is tried in court. This is unlikely to happen, as employers generally want to avoid a prolonged and expensive court proceeding. In rare instances, taking your case to trial may be the choice, but the entire legal process, including a trial, will likely exceed 3 years.
Under California law, the statute of limitations for a sexual harassment lawsuit is 3 years. This time period starts from the date of the latest / most recent incident of abuse. Please note that the previous deadline to sue for sexual harassment at work was 1 year. However, the passage of Assembly Bill 9 extended the amount of time to 3 years. So, if you were sexually harassed by your employer, supervisor, colleague, etc., on or after January 2022, you have 3 years to file a lawsuit for monetary compensation.
