Renowned DJ and record producer Paul Oakenfold is facing serious allegations of sexual harassment in a recently filed lawsuit by his former personal assistant.
The lawsuit, brought forward by a plaintiff using the pseudonym Jane Roe, was submitted in Los Angeles, accusing Oakenfold of terminating her employment with a management company that represented him after she reported him for sexual harassment. Roe claims she was hired by New Frequency Management and Paul Stepanek Management, both named as co-defendants, in October 2022 to work as Oakenfold’s personal assistant. According to her allegations, Oakenfold engaged in lewd behavior on four separate occasions, knowingly subjecting her to his actions when she had no means of escape.
The court documents, reviewed by EW, reveal that the unwanted and unwelcome harassment began immediately, with Oakenfold exposing himself to Roe on her very first day of employment. On another occasion, while Roe was driving him home from the post office, the DJ allegedly masturbated in the passenger seat of the car. Roe further claimed that the duration of these incidents increased each time, with Oakenfold masturbating for longer periods.
Roe asserts that after she reported the misconduct, she was presented with a non-disclosure agreement by management, which she signed under duress. However, upon her return to work, she was no longer assigned as Oakenfold’s assistant and experienced a significant reduction in her working hours. Eventually, in March 2023, she was laid off, with the reason given as a lack of work. The lawsuit argues that this explanation was false since Oakenfold hired another individual to replace Roe in her former role.
The plaintiff, Roe, is seeking damages exceeding $25,000, citing violations of California labor codes related to retaliation, harassment, failure to prevent harassment, and discrimination.
Jonathan M. Genish, an attorney representing Roe, commended her courage in coming forward about the sexual harassment she endured from Oakenfold. He stated that their legal team is fully committed to holding all defendants accountable for their actions and hopes that this case will raise awareness about the prevalence of such misconduct, encouraging others who have experienced similar acts to seek justice.
Paul Oakenfold, 59, is a Grammy-nominated producer and renowned trance DJ known for remixing songs by major artists like Britney Spears, U2, Rolling Stones, and Madonna.
As of now, there has been no response from representatives of Oakenfold or Stepanek to EW’s requests for comment.
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