A lawsuit filed Friday in Los Angeles County Superior Court alleges that veteran producer Paul Oakenfold repeatedly masturbated in front of his former personal assistant.
The case, brought by a now 24-year-old plaintiff the lawsuit calls Jane Roe, says she was brought on as a personal assistant to Oakenfold in October 2022. She was employed by Oakenfold’s management companies, the Los Angeles-based New Frequency Mgmt and Paul Stepanek Management, who the suit also names as defendants. Roe worked with Oakenfold in his home and reported directly to the Grammy-nominated dance music producer.
The suit alleges that Oakenfold masturbated in front of the plaintiff on four separate occasions (each on different dates) during her employment, including during her first day on the job. The suit also alleges that on one of these occasions, Oakenfold began masturbating while the plaintiff was driving him home from the post office in her car.
When the plaintiff alerted Stepanek of the incidents, he made statements about insurance policies he’d taken out to create protections against being sued due to Oakenfold’s behavior, the suit continues, stating that “Defendants previously had several other assistants assigned to Oakenfold, and there was high turnover, likely because of the rampant sexual harassment.”
Jane Roe was then asked to sign a nondisclosure agreement after reporting the incidents the suit also alleges, and when she wouldn’t sign was placed on forced leave. She eventually did sign a nondisclosure agreement “under duress,” the suit states, although her hours were cut when she returned to the job. She was terminated from the position in late March. She is seeking at least $25,000 in damages.
On Monday (June 5), Oakenfold released a statement on the suit, writing that “I want to address recent allegations of sexual harassment made against me. Let me be absolutely clear: I categorically deny any and all claims of improper conduct. Respect, integrity, and consent are values I hold dear, and I have always treated everyone with utmost professionalism. It is disheartening to see these baseless accusations, which appear to be nothing more than a calculated attempt to tarnish my reputation and extort money. I am committed to fully cooperating with any investigations to clear my name and will exhaust all legal remedies available, including the option to countersue, to protect my reputation and seek justice. Thank you for your unwavering support and understanding during this challenging time.”
Oakenfold has been a dance world figure since pioneering the trance genre in the late ’80s and early ’90s. He’s done official remixes for musical royalty including Madonna, U2 and The Rolling Stones and has received three Grammy nominations.
