Vin Diesel 'denies' sexual allegation

Vin Diesel has "categorically denied" the sexual battery allegations made by his former assistant.

The 'Fast and the Furious' actor is being sued by Asta Jonasson, who alleged the 56-year-old star "molested her body" in his suite at the St. Regis hotel in Atlanta in September 2010, but his lawyer has branded the claims "outlandish".

Bryan Freedman told Variety in a statement: "Let me be very clear 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 nine-day employee.

"There is clear evidence which completely refutes these outlandish allegations.”

In a complaint filed by Asta in Los Angeles on Thursday (21.12.23) and obtained by Vanity Fair magazine, the ex-employee claimed Vin invited her to his suite after coming back from a club with hostesses, and then when the rest of the group left, he allegedly grabbed her wrists and pulled her onto the bed, groping her chest and kissing her, “despite her pleas” for him to stop.

The lawsuit added: “Ms Jonasson was afraid to more forcibly refuse her supervisor, knowing that getting him out of that room was both crucial to her personal safety and job security.

“But this hope died when Vin Diesel dropped to his knees, pushed Ms Jonasson’s dress up toward her waist, and molested her body, running his hands over Ms Jonasson’s upper legs, including her inner thighs.”

Asta says at that point she ran away from Vin and headed toward the bathroom, but he allegedly pinned her against a wall and placed her hand on his “erect” member as he touched himself.

The lawsuit added: “Terrified, Ms Jonasson closed her eyes, trying to dissociate from the sexual assault and avoid angering him.

“Ms Jonasson then heard groaning noises from Vin Diesel… Jonasson was frozen in a state of shock and unable to move.”

Asta was a Los Angeles film school program graduate at the time of the alleged incident.

She had been hired to work for Vin’s One Race firm while his ‘Fast Five’ film was being made.

Vin’s sister, Samantha Vincent, allegedly handled the termination of Asta’s employment, which lasted only two weeks, and is also named as a defendant in the suit.

The lawsuit says: “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.”

Asta is also suing for discrimination based on the grounds of sex or gender, as well as intentional infliction of emotional distress, hostile work environment, wrongful termination and retaliation.