Ye, the artist and entrepreneur once known as Kanye West, is facing an amended lawsuit filed July 8 that outlines a range of serious accusations from his former assistant-turned-chief of staff, Lauren Pisciotta. In the latest filing, Pisciotta accuses Ye of sexual assault, sex trafficking, harassment, battery, false imprisonment, and other offenses. Their professional relationship began during the rollout of Ye’s Donda album and reportedly lasted two years.
Yikes.
According to the suit, Pisciotta claims Ye exploited his power and industry status to create an unsafe and coercive work environment. She alleges multiple acts of misconduct, including a disturbing claim that he performed oral sex on her without consent while she was employed under him. Another incident detailed in the filing accuses Ye of attempting to force himself on her.
Get this, the lawsuit also points to Ye’s own words as potential evidence, particularly a controversial February post on X where he wrote, “I’ve hit women before.” Pisciotta says that even after leaving her role, she remained a target. The complaint alleges continued harassment, including swatting incidents, after she relocated to another state in an attempt to escape further contact.
This sprawling filing builds on her original 2023 case, which began with claims of wrongful termination and workplace sexual harassment. Since then, additional allegations have surfaced, expanding the case to include over a dozen claims such as stalking, gender discrimination, emotional distress, and promissory estoppel.
Her lawyer, Arick Fudali of The Bloom Firm, emphasized the irregularity of Ye’s behavior while the case is still active. Speaking to Complex last month, Fudali stated, “In all my years representing alleged victims, I’ve never seen a defendant publicly post statements that resemble admissions while a case is still in litigation.”
This legal battle adds to the growing list of controversies Ye is facing across the music world and beyond, drawing heightened attention from fans and critics on social media.