Will Smith and his management company have been accused of sexual harassment, retaliation, and wrongful termination by violinist Brian King Joseph. Brian worked with Will on tour for his album, Based on a True Story, and he gained fame by competing on America's Got Talent in 2018.
According to CNN, a complaint was filed in Los Angeles County on December 30th, alleging that Brian was fired shortly after he reported to the police an incident involving an alleged intrusion into his hotel room last March in Las Vegas. The suit alleges someone “unlawfully” entered Joseph’s hotel room and left wipes, a beer bottle, a backpack, a bottle of HIV medication and hospital discharge paperwork with an unknown person's name on it, including a note, signed by Stone F.
The complaint also contends that the Hollywood icon “was deliberately grooming and priming Mr. Joseph for further sexual exploitation.”
Will's attorney, Allen B. Grodsky, combats the claims made against Smith. In a statement shared with PEOPLE, he stated, “Mr. Joseph’s allegations concerning my client are false, baseless, and reckless. They are categorically denied, and we will use all legal means available to address these claims and to ensure that the truth is brought to light."
The violinist claims he reported the incident to hotel staff, the police, and the entertainer's management team, but faced backlash for doing so. This allegedly resulted in his termination and replacement by another musician.
In December, Joseph shared a social media video, in what appeared to be discourse about the lawsuit. He stated, "I can't get too into the details of exactly what that was because it's already a legal issue right now, but the reason why I'm speaking out about this is because getting fired or getting blamed or shamed or threatened or anything like that simply for reporting sexual misconduct or safety threats at work is not okay." He also mentioned that he would provide more updates later.
This story will be updated.
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