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A woman’s lawsuit claims Jason Derulo stopped working with her, despite a contract, because she turned down his repeated sexual advances.
The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court Oct. 3 by 25-year-old Emaza Gibson, according to People. The filing also named Atlantic Records, Derulo’s Future History Inc. record label, and the pop singer’s manager, Frank Harris, as co-defendants. Another defendant was Radio Corporation of America (an electronics company also known as RCA Records), although the organization had no professional dealings with Derulo or Future History.
Gibson is suing for sexual harassment, breach of contract, and failure to prevent and/or remedy harassment, retaliation, intimidation and violence. In addition to damages for unpaid wages, loss of earnings and deferred compensation, the singer also seeks an award for general damages (for emotional distress), special damages (for medical expenses), and punitive damages.
Gibson claimed Derulo, 34, was “malicious” in his treatment toward her.
The legal complaint alleged that the pop singer sought out Gibson to sign her as a new Atlantic Records artist. Derulo supposedly wanted to collaborate under Atlantic’s umbrella. The plaintiff claimed the 34-year-old Haitian-American singer pressured her on multiple occasions to drink alcohol, attend dinners and have sex with him to ensure success as an artist on his label. Billboard noted that in the lawsuit, the “Glad You Came” artist allegedly said Gibson “would be required to partake in ‘goat skin and fish scales,’ which is a Haitian reference referring to conducting sex rituals, sacrificing a goat, goat blood and doing cocaine.’”
Other alleged incidents included the tricenarian professionally retaliating against the fledgling singer once she refused to have sex with him, in addition to the “Savage Love” singer intimidating and threatening her with violent behavior. In November 2021, Derulo allegedly became irate when the 25-year-old woman confronted him about another woman he’d invited to a meeting she and the pop star had in New York with Atlantic executives about her career.
The other woman allegedly claimed Derulo said he wanted the two of them to have sex, according to Gibson.
The 25-year-old’s employment with Atlantic and Future History was allegedly terminated in September 2022.
Due to her ordeal with Derulo and the other defendants, the plaintiff claimed she was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. She’s also allegedly needed medical intervention for “breakdowns, weight loss, insomnia, mood swings, hopelessness, loss of motivation…[and] feelings of betrayal and deception.”
“Mr. Derulo’s behavior toward this young artist was despicable,” said Ron Zambrano, the woman’s lawyer, in a statement. “[Derulo] not only broke promises and breached contracts, but his threats of physical harm and unconscionable sexual advances toward this young woman who is just trying to break into the industry were outrageous and illegal.”
Derulo has denied the claims made against him in Gibson’s lawsuit.
“These claims are completely false and hurtful,” he said in a statement shared by People Oct. 5. “I stand against all forms of harassment and remain committed to supporting people chasing their dreams. I strive to live my life in a positively-impacting way, so I am deeply offended by these defamatory allegations.”
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