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A Texas girl has filed a lawsuit towards Equinox after allegedly being sexually assaulted by a therapeutic massage therapist at one of many luxurious well being membership’s New York Metropolis places, saying she was so completely spooked by the masseur’s conduct that she give up her “dream job” on the United Nations and left city.
In a state lawsuit filed Wednesday and obtained by The Impartial, the lady accuses Sean Layne of groping her throughout a bodywork session in October 2023.
The accuser, who is called within the criticism however whose identification The Impartial is withholding for her privateness, says the assault occurred at an Equinox on Bond Avenue in Decrease Manhattan.
Moses Ahn, the lady’s legal professional, didn’t reply to requests for touch upon Thursday. Messages to Equinox searching for remark went unreturned. Layne, who shouldn’t be formally named as a defendant within the swimsuit however is recognized all through because the perpetrator, briefly acknowledged a request for remark by way of textual content however subsequently went darkish.
The criticism doesn’t include particulars of the assault itself, however calls Layne out for his alleged actions within the aftermath. Shortly after the lady left the fitness center, the place memberships run from $2,400 to $40,000 a yr, Layne dug up her contact information and texted her in an obvious try at injury management, the criticism says.
“I’m sorry for reaching out like this, however truthfully I’m determined,” the alleged message started, in response to a screenshot included within the criticism. “I do perceive that that was a particularly silly factor that I simply did. I’m very sorry, I over stepped [sic] my boundaries, and put you ready that I by no means ought to have. However I once more, I’m determined. You have got my life in your fingers proper now.”
The accuser says that Layne acknowledged that if he had been her husband, he “can be livid.” However, the criticism continues, he pleaded for her to “discover it in [your] coronary heart to forgive this horrible mistake I simply made.”
“I REALLY want this job,” Layne wrote, in response to the criticism. “… I WILL lose my job over this, and my license, and livelihood… and I might deserve it. However I desperately want this job proper now. So once more. I’m extraordinarily sorry for making a idiot out of myself. Please forgive me. Once more. I additionally apologize for reaching out so instantly, however I’m determined. You maintain my future in your fingers. I’m so extraordinarily sorry.”
About two weeks later, the accuser acquired an e mail from Layne’s associate of 4 years, who stated she was then pregnant together with his little one, the criticism states. (An internet child registry from the interval in query seems to substantiate the being pregnant.) Though the specifics of the e-mail are usually not disclosed within the criticism, it says the accuser now understood that Layne and his associate had her private data, “presumably together with her residence and work addresses.” This, the criticism goes on, “created an excessive amount of concern for [the accuser] that her security was in jeopardy.”
“Certainly, quickly thereafter, [she] resigned from her dream job on the United Nations and moved away from New York Metropolis,” the criticism states.
Equinox knew that it had a problem with members being sexually harrassed and assaulted by therapeutic massage therapists at its golf equipment, in response to the criticism, which says the chain “had a protracted historical past of ‘ignor[ing] lewd conduct, and even sexual assaults.’” It cites a 2018 article within the New York Publish, headlined, “Lawyer accused of masturbating in fitness center whereas gazing worker,” and a 2024 article that ran in Vermont’s Bennington Banner, which was headlined, “Equinox masseuse charged in second incident with totally different sufferer.”
The chain ought to have been conscious that Layne had beforehand “exhibited conduct demonstrating that he was unfit to behave ready whereby he would keep in touch with patrons,” and that he “posed a considerable danger of hurt,” the criticism states. Nonetheless, it continues, Equinox “employed and retained… Layne, in acutely aware disregard” of that danger. The criticism accuses Equinox of failing to correctly vet Layne earlier than hiring him, and of failing to correctly supervise him as soon as he was there. Additional, the criticism contends, Equinox did not self-discipline or terminate Layne after being notified of his “historical past of comparable acts or propensities.”
“Sexual misconduct is a typically foreseeable consequence of the character of the work concerned within the therapeutic massage trade and Equinox was always related, properly conscious of this danger,” the criticism states.
It’s unclear if Layne stays on the Equinox payroll.
On account of the alleged intercourse assault, the criticism says Layne’s accuser has skilled “extreme psychological anguish, emotional misery and trauma,” and required medical care following the alleged assault.
“[U]pon data and perception, she can be required to have medical therapy sooner or later and stated accidents could also be of a everlasting nature,” the criticism states.
The accuser says Equinox was negligent and reckless with respect to Layne, and is demanding unspecified damages.
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The Impartial
#Gymgoer #accuses #Equinox #masseur #sexually #assaulting #midmassage #begging #quiet
Justin Rohrlich , 2024-12-12 17:53:00
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