Terry Crews Suing WME, Adam Venit For Sexual Assault
Terry Crews has recently filed a lawsuit against WME agent Adam Venit. The Brooklyn Nine-Nine star claimed that Venit sexually assaulted him multiple times.
Terry Crews Details Sexual Assault Incidents
Crews detailed the incident through Bryan Sullivan, his attorney. In the court documents, Crews alleged that Venit grabbed his sex organ during their first meeting. Crews felt immediate pain because the agent also held on to his testicles tightly.
Instead of shaking his hand, Venit grabbed him and when he moved it away and screamed at him, Venit didn't budge.
"Crews smacked Venit's hand away and shoved him back more forcefully than before, screaming 'Hey! What are you doing?' two or three times, but Venit ignored everything Crews was saying and continued to try to grab Crews' genitals," wrote Sullivan.
The actor informed his then-agent, Brad Slater, of the assault. However, WME took no action. Crews believes that WME has ignored the sexual assault allegations against Venit over the years because the agent is representing a handful of A-list clients.
Adam Venit Apologizes To Terry Crews
Venit is handling the careers of Adam Sandler, Casey Affleck, and Dustin Hoffman among many others. Sullivan revealed that Sandler witnessed the incident and The Wedding Singer actor shook his head in disbelief.After Crews left the venue, Sandler called him and asked what just happened. He also apologized for Venit's misdemeanor.
Venit asked for Crews' forgiveness via a phone call a day later. Venit told the actor that he was just not himself the previous night. The actor has already informed Slater of the incident that time and he assured him that WME would address his complaint. However, he never received feedback from WME.
Meanwhile, Crews has also discussed the incident during his recent appearance on Good Morning America. The actor revealed that he fired the agency after Ari Emanuel, chairman of WME, told him that they didn't have a policy in place to address such situations.
Crews revealed on the show that the only punishment Venit received was a one-month paid suspension, as well as being demoted as the head of the agency's motion picture department.
After being asked to stay silent about the assault, Crews has decided to take matters into his own hands. His attorney noted in the actor's lawsuit that if someone as tall as Crews could be a victim of sexual assault, anyone can become a victim, too.
Crews is suing Venit for assault, battery, sexual harassment, gender violence, breach of fiduciary duty, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and more.
As of late, Venit and WME have not yet released a statement regarding the filing.
