A complaint filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by a plaintiff only identified as Jane Doe states that Disney concealed a former executive’s sexual misconduct.
It seems the Mouse House just can’t catch a break. The Walt Disney Company is embroiled in yet another lawsuit relating to sexual assault. Just recently, we reported on further developments in the lawsuit leveled at Disney by British actress Julia Ormond. Now, there’s another.
Related: 9000 Women Prepare to Slap HUGE Lawsuit on Disney
Former Exec Nolan Gonzales in Hot Water
As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, “The plaintiff, suing as a Jane Doe, claims she was assaulted by former vice president of distribution Nolan Gonzales and that management refused to escalate concerns to human resources despite complaints from other women.”
According to the suit, “Management was incentivized to hide Gonzales’s harassment because he generated valuable revenue.” Disney and Gonzales didn’t share any comments on the matter. Disney reportedly refused to escalate complaints about Gonzales, thereby creating an environment in which he was “free to harass women with impunity.”
Related: Cast Member Exposes Disney: Park Reportedly Lying About How it Treats Its Employees
This was not all. The plaintiff who registered the case is allegedly not the first woman Gonzales has harassed in this manner. The suit explains, “Women were discouraged to come forward about his behaviors because management seemingly accepted Gonzales conduct as being part of the entertainment industry and his firing would hurt the company financially.”
The accuser puts forth shocking claims about Gonzales. She shares in her suit:
The plaintiff, suing as a Jane Doe, alleges that Gonzales assaulted her several times in 2017 through the use of ecstasy and a date rape drug, raping her when she was incapacitated. He also “used his position of power and blackmail” to force her to have sex with him, according to the complaint. When she tried to cut contact with him in 2018, Gonzales allegedly threatened to release intimate videos of their encounters and “ruin her career.”
Related: Disney Claims “No Responsibility” in Harvey Weinstein Sexual Assault Case
In addition, the plaintiff accuses Disney of demoting her in retaliation for speaking out about this. “Disney used the rolling layoffs as an excuse to demote Plaintiff and to place her on a different team where she did not manage any direct reports,” the suit states. “Previously, Plaintiff was a supervisory level employee who trained and directed three subordinates. Now, Plaintiff’s essential job duties are much smaller in scope and are similar to duties she performed at Disney ten years ago.”
Of course, only time and the courts will decide the future of this case, but it’s certainly rough waters for Disney.
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