Mark Sinclair, better known as Vin Diesel, is an actor and film producer. Diesel has starred in many films from the 90s to current day, more notably known for his role as Dominic Toretto in the “Fast & Furious” franchise. On March 25th, Vin Diesel’s lawyers responded to assault allegations brought against him last year by a woman named, Asta Jonasson, who worked as the actor’s assistant in 2010.
Jonasson accuses Diesel of sexually assaulting her in his Atlanta hotel room just one week after she was employed to work for him. Though Diesel denied the allegation, Jonasson filed lawsuits against Vin Diesel’s production company and his sister who’s a producer at Diesel’s production. The lawsuit can be read here.
Jonasson originally filed the lawsuit in December of 2023, where she said she was hired to work as an assistant for Diesel on September 2, 2010. Her first assignment was to travel to the location where “Fast Five” was being filmed.
After a night of assisting with the ushering of several women Diesel was entertaining in the Empire Suite of Diesel’s luxury hotel, she was also tasked with ushering Diesel out of the hotel to avoid being seen by paparazzi.
Alone with Ms. Jonasson in the hotel room, Vin Diesel sexually assaulted Ms. Johnson. Her claim further states that Diesel grabbed & groped her while she struggled to break free of his grasps, repeatedly saying no. After dropping to his knees and pushing Jonasson’s dress up Ms. Jonasson screamed and ran towards the nearby bathroom.
Ms. Jonasson was then forced to act in several displeasures including Diesel forcing himself onto Ms. Jonasson by pinning her against the wall with his body. The unfortunate scenario ended with Diesel rushing to the bathroom, threatening Ms. Jonasson to keep what happened between only them before leaving the room.
One Race Production is also under fire for neglecting supervision. Founded by Vin Diesel, who then named his sister, Samantha Vincent, as President. The company grossed over $3 billion worldwide, Producing 15 films in just 6 years.
According to their Business Registration via California’s Secretary of State business search tool, Diesel officially filed for registration just two years after being founded by Diesel in 1995. An established company, would then prompt Jonasson to assume protections would be in place for the circumstances of such incidents, stated in the filings.
However, still confused and still processing, Samantha Vincent, called Ms. Jonasson to inform her that One Race no longer needed her help and terminated Jonasson’s employment.
In the court filing, Jonasson stated she was afraid to refuse Diesel despite knowing that her safety and job were at risk. She remained silent afraid to speak out against one of the world’s highest-grossing actors. Afraid she would be ostracized from an industry that has a pattern of protecting powerful men and ignoring survivors of sexual harassment.
Vin Diesel denied these allegations. His lawyer, Bryan Freedman, issued a statement saying the actor denies the claims in its entirety. Diesel’s legal team responded in a filing made in May of 2024, asking for the case to be dismissed and for Jonasson to pay Diesel’s legal fees.
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