Gene Simmons Sued For Sexual Assault: Woman Claims Rocker Groped Her During Restaurant Opening
Veteran rocker Gene Simmons is being sued by a woman who claims the KISS bassist and co-founder groped her and made uncomfortable advances toward her. The incident reportedly took place during the grand opening of one of the Rock & Brews restaurants he co-owns with longtime KISS bandmate Paul Stanley.
According to TMZ, Simmons was sued for sexual assault by the unidentified woman, who claims she interviewed him last month at the opening of a new Rock & Brews in San Bernardino, California. During the course of the interview, Simmons allegedly grabbed the woman’s hand and placed it on his knee. This reportedly made the accuser uncomfortable, but despite the 68-year-old rocker’s supposed actions, she allowed the interview to continue.
“Defendant Simmons turned standard interview questions into sexual innuendos, which made plaintiff [Jane] Doe extremely uncomfortable,” the lawsuit stated, as quoted by the San Bernardino Sun.
As the interview continued, Simmons allegedly grabbed the plaintiff’s hand a second time, complimenting her on how soft it felt, and made the “creepy” suggestion that she must use lotion. The woman’s legal documents also claim that this was followed by Simmons reaching over and flicking her throat.
Despite the woman’s best efforts to end her interview with Simmons, the KISS co-founder “tried to keep going,” TMZ noted. Once the interview had finally ended, Simmons allegedly grabbed the woman’s rear end while they joined other people for a group photo.
Kiss bassist Gene Simmons facing lawsuit alleging sexual battery during SoCal interview https://t.co/NXs93xVIbc pic.twitter.com/q2d1CeV8U5
— The Sun (@sbsun) December 16, 2017
According to the San Bernardino Sun, the plaintiff suing Gene Simmons for sexual assault was identified on the lawsuit as a “longtime on-air personality for a local rock station.” Her lawyer, Willie W. Williams, declined to specify his client’s exact place of work, but issued a statement to the San Bernardino Sun, emphasizing that his client has been “embarrassed and humiliated” by last month’s alleged incident with Simmons.
“She filed suit because she wanted to make a strong statement that this behavior is unacceptable and she wants to see an end to this type of behavior.”
This isn’t the first time in recent weeks that Gene Simmons has made the news after being accused of inappropriate behavior. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Simmons allegedly barged into a Fox staff meeting last month, making jokes about pedophilia and poking fun at the recent series of sexual abuse and harassment allegations made against male celebrities. Simmons was also accused of touching several Fox staff members, and exposing his chest and stomach while daring the network’s female employees to sue him.
As of this writing, Gene Simmons has yet to comment on the new sexual assault allegations.
