DJ and record producer Paul Oakenfold has been accused of sexual harassment in a lawsuit brought by his former personal assistant.
A plaintiff by the name of Jane Roe filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles on Friday and alleged she was fired from a management company that represented Oakenfold after reporting him for sexual harassment. According to Roe, she was hired by New Frequency Management and Paul Stepanek Management, both listed as co-defendants in the lawsuit, in October 2022 to serve as a personal assistant to Oakenfold, who she claims masturbated in front of her during four separate incidents. when “aware” that she “couldn’t escape”.
In the filing reviewed by EW, Roe, who was 23 at the time of hire, said the unwanted and unwelcome harassment began immediately, with Oakenfold exposing himself to her on her first day on the job. On another occasion, Oakenfold masturbated in the passenger seat of a car while Roe drove him home from the post office, she alleged, with the DJ masturbating for “longer periods of time. ” on each separate date.
Greg Doherty/Getty for the iHollywood Film Fest Paul Oakenfold
Roe claimed management presented her with a nondisclosure agreement after she reported Oakenfold, which she signed “under duress.” When she returned to work and not as the DJ’s assistant, Roe said her hours were “significantly reduced” before she was finally fired for “lack of work” in March 2023. “The reason given, however, was untrue, given that Plaintiff was replaced by someone else engaged by Oakenfold to perform Plaintiff’s duties,” the filing reads.
Roe seeks damages in excess of $25,000, citing retaliation in violation of California labor codes, harassment, failure to prevent harassment and discrimination.
“Our client has shown immense courage in speaking out against Mr. Oakenfold’s sexual harassment,” Jonathan M. Genish, Roe’s attorney, said in a statement to EW. “Our legal team is fully committed to holding him and the other defendants accountable for their egregious acts. We hope this case will continue to shed light on the prevalence of such misconduct and encourage others who have suffered acts similar to reaching out and seeking justice.”
Oakenfold, 59, is a Grammy-nominated trance producer and DJ who has remixed songs for major artists like Britney Spears, U2, Rolling Stones and Madonna.
Representatives for Oakenfold and Stepanek did not immediately respond to EW’s requests for comment.
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