LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 19: Jamie Foxx attends the British Vogue And Tiffany & Co. Celebrate Fashion And Film Party 2023 at Annabel's on February 19, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Jamie Foxx is at the center of a lawsuit ahead of the holidays. On Wednesday, a woman listed as Jane Doe accused the actor of sexual assault in 2015.
According to Variety, the woman said Jamie took her to a secluded corner of the Catch rooftop bar in New York. Once there, she alleges Foxx “rubbed her breasts and groped her under her pants against her will,” per the outlet.
She’s seeking compensation for “physical and emotional injuries, anxiety, distress, embarrassment, and economic harm” as a result of the assault, per CNN. However, the amount is not specified.
The suit says the plaintiff and a friend had a table next to Jamie Foxx and the bar owner, Mark Birnbaum. At about 1 a.m. local time, the woman’s friend asked Jamie for a photo. He agreed and snapped several pictures with the friend.
Then, Jamie Foxx allegedly turned his attention to the plaintiff and fired some compliments. He reportedly compared her looks to Gabrielle Union and commented, “Wow, you have that supermodel body” and “You smell so good.”
Following the compliments, the woman claims Jamie Foxx led her by the arm to the more secluded area. The plaintiff was reportedly dressed in a crop top. She says Jamie groped her breasts under the top, which caught her by surprise. When she tried to step away, she alleged Foxx slid his hands into her pants and “put his fingers on and in Plaintiff’s vagina and anus.”
Lawsuit documents claim that a security guard witnessed Jamie’s groping but did not step in. The actor allegedly stopped touching her and walked when the woman’s friend came to find her.
The woman is also suing the venue’s parent company, Catch Hospitality Group, and other related entities for “negligent hiring, training and supervision,” per CNN.
Following the alleged assault, the woman says she felt sore and had to seek medical treatment as a result.
The lawsuit was filed under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, which provided a one-year window for victims to file sexual abuse claims that might’ve been tossed out due to statute of limitations. The deadline to file lawsuits under the act expires today (Nov. 23), and the lawsuit against Jamie was filed on Wednesday (Nov. 22).
A spokesperson for Jamie Foxx reacted to the lawsuit on Thanksgiving. In a statement to PEOPLE, the rep cleared Jamie of any wrongdoing.
“In 2020, this individual filed a nearly identical lawsuit in Brooklyn. That case was dismissed shortly thereafter. The claims are no more viable today than they were then.” It continued, “We are confident they will be dismissed again. And once they are, Mr. Foxx intends to pursue a claim for malicious prosecution against this person and her attorneys for re-filing this frivolous action.”
In late September, the actor was spotted in the company of his rumored girlfriend in Mexico.
Diddy was another high-profile celebrity who recently faced a lawsuit under the Survivors Act. Cassie, his former girlfriend of about ten years and Bad Boy Records artist, accused Diddy of sexual assault, abuse, and sex trafficking one week before the act expired. Both parties settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed amount less than 48 hours later.
Editor’s Note: This story was updated to reflect a statement from a spokesperson for Jamie Foxx.
