Disney employee takes company to court over exec's sexual assault coverup

A Disney employee has filed a lawsuit against the company, accusing it of concealing a pattern of sexual assault by a high-ranking executive and retaliating against her after she came forward with her account.

The plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe in the lawsuit, alleges that former Vice President of Distribution Nolan Gonzales subjected her to repeated sexual harassment and assault in 2014, shortly after she was hired, creating an environment in which he was “free to harass women with impunity.”

“Management was incentivized to hide Gonzales’s harassment because he generated valuable revenue,” the suit claims.

According to the complaint, Gonzales' abusive behaviour was a known "open secret" within the company, with multiple reports and complaints against him dating back years.

The lawsuit further claims that despite these prior allegations, Disney management failed to take corrective action against Gonzales.

The plaintiff, further claims that Gonzales repeatedly raped her in 2017 while she was unconscious by using ecstasy and a date rape drug.

Additionally, the complaint claims that he "used his position of power and blackmail" to coerce her into having intercourse with him. In 2018, Gonzales allegedly threatened to "ruin her career" by releasing private tapes of their interactions if she tried to break up with him.

The complainant asserts that Gonzales' history of sexual misconduct was known to management, who for years allegedly refused to conduct a thorough investigation or take any action against him, and that she was not his "first victim nor his last."

“Women were discouraged to come forward about his behaviours because management seemingly accepted Gonzales conduct as being part of the entertainment industry and his firing would hurt the company financially,” states the complaint.

Gonzales resigned in 2022, per the complaint, following three more women's allegations against him for sexual harassment. Meanwhile, the complaint alleges that Disney attempted to retaliate against her by demoting her last year.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Disney is facing a lawsuit from almost 9,000 female workers who claim they are being paid less than men for the same work. The lawsuit is one of the largest ever filed for unequal pay.