Earlier this week, Kanye West was levied with claims of sexual harassment from his former assistant as well as accusations of breach of contract, wrongful termination, and hostile work environment. Lauren Pisciotta, who began working with West after meeting him during is Donda era, says the musician and fashion designer sent her several vulgar texts during her employment under him. Now, West is responding to those claims and shared plans to countersue Pisciotta for her accusations.
TMZ reports that Kanye’s legal team gave them a statement in response to Pisciotta’s claims. “In response to these baseless allegations, Ye will be filing a lawsuit against Ms. Pisciotta, who actively pursued him sexually to coerce employment and other material benefits, then engaged in blackmail and extortion when her advances were rejected,” West’s team told the publication. “It is evident that Ms. Pisciotta leveraged her association with Ye and his company, and her proximity to him, to seek material gains, clout, and employment through inappropriate means.”
They also accused Pisciotta of attempting to steal West’s phone in order to delete evidence that would prove her accusations were false. This evidence includes nude images that Pisciotta allegedly sent to West as well as her attempts to solicit him for sex and requests for a luxury items like a Birkin bag and a Lamborghini that were both denied.
Kanye’s legal team also denied Pisciotta’s wrongful termination claim, saying that her work with Kanye came to an end because she was unqualified, made outrageous salary demands, and engaged in “lascivious, unhinged conduct.” They go on to say that once her requests were denied, Pisciotta attempted to extort and blackmail Kanye and his team with demands in the tens of millions of dollars prior to her lawsuit.