Kanye West’s legal troubles are piling up like Yeezy sneakers in an Adidas warehouse. On June 3, the rapper and designer’s former assistant, Lauren Pisciotta, sued him for s*xual harassment and wrongful termination. Pisciotta, who worked for West for two years, alleges that he sent her s*xually explicit texts and behaved inappropriately during her tenure with him.
West has not yet publicly responded to the allegations.
According to the filing obtained by The Blast, Pisciotta has worked in the music industry for 15 years in various roles. West hired her as a creative collaborator on his Yeezy Season 1 women’s fashion line in 2015 and later on his 2021 album “Donda.” In July 2021, she was hired as his Executive Assistant/Personal Assistant, with an agreed salary of $1 million a year, requiring her to be available 24/7, told Rolling Stone.
Before being hired full-time by West, Pisciotta made $1 million creating content on OnlyFans and social media. Initially, West was fine with her continuing this work, describing her as an “OnlyFans superstar,” but in August 2022, he asked her to delete her OnlyFans account and promised to pay her $1 million. Pisciotta claimed he never paid her and began s*xually harassing her instead.
She alleged that West sent her s*xually explicit messages, masturbated during phone conversations, and sent her pornographic videos of himself. Pisciotta also recounted an incident on a plane to Paris where West called her into a room, closed the door, and masturbated under the covers.
Pisciotta said she was promoted to chief of staff for West’s various companies in September 2022 and was promised a $3 million bonus. The next month, she was offered a $3 million severance package but never received the money. Her lawsuit claimed West has an “obsession” with her, moving into her building and “stalking” her after her termination.
She is suing for at least $4 million, citing breach of contract and a hostile work environment.
West’s legal team has been busy over the past two years. His antisemitic meltdown in 2022 led to significant financial fallout, including the closure of Donda Academy and the termination of fashion partnerships with Adidas, resulting in several lawsuits:
April 2024: Benjamin Deshon Pravo, a security guard at Donda Academy, sued for racial discrimination, claiming West favored white employees and fired him for refusing to cut his dreadlocks.
April 2024: Trevor Phillips, who worked at Donda Academy and for Yeezy, sued, alleging West engaged in discriminatory and antisemitic behavior, likening himself to Hitler and creating a hostile work environment.
February 2024: West claimed Adidas was suing him for $250 million, though this may refer to a private arbitration case against Yeezy LLC for violating their partnership agreement.
September 2023: Tony Saxon, a live-in caretaker and project manager, sued for $1 million, citing unsafe working conditions and unpaid wages.
June 2023: Paparazzo Nichol Lechmanik sued West for allegedly throwing her phone into traffic.
May 2023: Gap Inc. sued West for $2 million related to the dissolution of their partnership.
April 2023: Teachers Cecilia Hailey and Chekarey Byers sued Donda Academy for health and safety violations, unlawful educational practices, and non-compliance with California state regulations.
Despite his legal troubles, West continues to perform, thanking fans for their support during his “tough week.” Brittany Spanos, a pop music writer for Rolling Stone, noted that Timberlake needs to address public concerns honestly to rehabilitate his image.