Vin Diesel was cleared of legal claims made by a former assistant claiming sexual battery in a Los Angeles Court on Wednesday.
The Fast and the Furious actor, 58, for the last two years had denied ex-assistant Asta Jonasson’s claim that he ‘forced himself on her’ in Atlanta’s St. Regis hotel during production of Fast 5 in 2010.
Matthew Hale, an attorney for Jonasson, told Deadline that ‘the court did not decide anything about the truth of Ms. Asta Jonasson’s allegations,’ against the California-born film star
Hale added: ‘The ruling was based on a legal technicality, with which we respectfully disagree. Ms. Jonasson intends to appeal.’
Diesel’s attorney Bryan Freedman in 2023 told Deadline the A-list action star ‘categorically denies this claim in its entirety.’
Freedman said of Jonasson’s accusations: ‘This is the first he has ever heard about this more than 13-year-old claim made by a purportedly nine-day employee.’
Vin Diesel was cleared of legal claims made by a former assistant claiming sexual battery in a Los Angeles Court on Wednesday. Pictured in LA in March
The Fast and the Furious actor, 58, had refuted his former assistant’s claim that he ‘forced himself on her’ in Atlanta during production of Fast 5 in 2010 (pictured in June 2024)
Freedman said ‘clear evidence’ existed ‘which completely’ refuted Jonasson’s ‘outlandish allegations.’
Jonasson says she was hired by production company One Race Films to be assistant while he filmed the movie in Georgia.
According to documents obtained by the publication, Jonasson claimed she was at Diesel’s suite at the St. Regis in Atlanta while he was ‘entertaining multiple women.’
She claimed when the last woman left, she was tasked with escorting Diesel out of the hotel to avoid paparazzi. She also alleged the actor forcibly grabbed her, groped her breast and kissed her, while in the suite.
Jonasson claimed she struggled to break free, but the actor allegedly continued.
She alleged Diesel then lifted up her dress and tried to pull down her underwear, before pinning her against the wall, grabbing her hand and placing it on his erect penis.
She alleged the actor was in his underwear after pulling down his cargo shorts.
Jonasson then alleged he pulled down her underwear and began masturbating while leaning against her. She claimed she kept her eyes closed to ‘dissociate.’
She claimed when he finished, he pulled up his shorts and said: ‘No one can say s**t about Asta’ and left the room.
Jonasson claimed hours later Diesel’s sister and president of One Race, Samantha Vincent called her and fired her, saying ‘they no longer needed her help.’
Diesel was pictured in a promotional image for Fast 5 in 2011
In response to Asta Jonasson’s lawsuit, accusing the actor of sexual battery, his lawyer told Variety that the father-of-three ‘categorically denies this claim in its entirety’
Diesel has been with partner Paloma Jiménez since 2007, and they have three children: Hania, Vincent and Pauline (pictured 2019)
In the suit, Jonasson said she believed she was fired because she resisted Diesel during the alleged assault.
Jonasson also said she remained silent ‘out of fear of Diesel’s power in Hollywood’ and because of ‘her immigration status as a green card holder.’
She said she now feels empowered by the #MeToo movement and cited California’s Speak Out Act – which allows victims to file sexual assault claims for alleged incidents dating back to 2009.
Jonasson said she is suing Diesel, his sister and One Race Films for sexual battery, wrongful termination and hostile work environment.
Diesel, born Mark Sinclair, is best known for playing Dominic Toretto in the Fast & Furious franchise. He has been with partner Paloma Jiménez since 2007. The pair share three kids: Hania, Vincent and Pauline.
