Kanye West Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged Rape and Drugging of Assistant

Photo : AP

Kanye West's former assistant, Lauren Pisciotta, has filed a lawsuit against him, alleging that he drugged and sexually assaulted her during a studio session he co-hosted with Sean "Diddy" Combs. The allegations extend from an earlier wrongful termination lawsuit where Pisciotta claimed she endured explicit messages and images from West before her dismissal. She worked with West on his Yeezy women's fashion line and his 2021 album, *Donda*, from July 2021 until her termination.

In the amended complaint submitted on October 8 in Los Angeles County Court, Pisciotta recounted being invited to a studio session in Santa Monica, California, where attendees were pressured to drink. She alleges that West and Combs co-hosted this session, which was attended by her and a former artist management client. While Combs is mentioned, he is not accused of any wrongdoing.

The lawsuit claims that a drink served to Pisciotta, allegedly at West's request, was "laced with an unidentifiable drug," causing her to become disoriented after consuming only a few sips. She states that her memories of the night became hazy as she slipped into a heavily impaired state. The following day, she woke up feeling ill and confused, experiencing significant shame for her lack of recollection.

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Pisciotta alleged that until a conversation with West later, she was unaware that she had been subjected to sexual violence that night. When she told him she had no memory of the studio session, West reportedly laughed, saying, "Women love to say they don't remember." This revelation prompted Pisciotta to feel overwhelmed with shame and disgust regarding the incident.

Additionally, the lawsuit recounts an incident in July 2021 during an "album workshop" at the St. Regis Hotel in San Francisco, where West allegedly banged on her hotel room door at 6 a.m., forced his way in, and claimed he needed to shower. The complaint further states that West later attempted to engage in unwanted sexual contact, which Pisciotta resisted. Following this incident, she received lewd messages from West and was fired from her Chief of Staff position just a month after her promotion in September 2022.

This lawsuit adds to West's legal troubles, including a separate lawsuit filed by another former employee alleging severe discrimination and harassment while working for Yeezy and at Donda Academy.