Former NFL star Warren Moon was sued for sexual harassment and sexual battery by an assistant in California who says the hall of fame quarterback made inappropriate work demands, including forcing her to share his bed on business trips.
The lawsuit, which was filed Monday in Orange County Superior Court and first reported on by The Washington Post, says that Moon, 61, grabbed Wendy Haskell’s crotch while she was sleeping during a trip to Seattle.
Haskell, 32, who was hired at Moon’s Sports 1 Marketing agency in July, also accuses Moon of drugging her during a trip to Mexico in October and then pulling off her bathing suit. Haskell claims she was demoted from her executive assistant role after she complained about Moon’s unwanted sexual advances.
Moon’s lawyer Daniel Fears released a statement on behalf of his client: “Warren Moon has yet to be served with the lawsuit filed by Wendy Haskell, but he is aware of the claims contained in it. Mr. Moon denies the claims by Ms. Haskell. Mr. Moon contends these claims are meritless, and he has every intention to vigorously defend himself in court.”
According to a copy of the lawsuit obtained by Deadspin, Haskell accuses Moon of having a “dark and twisted side.” She says Moon forced her to submit to a number of perverse arrangements, including “providing him unfettered access to the bathroom every time she showered, wearing skimpy lingerie while in the obligatory single room, obtaining prior approval for her wardrobe, and being subjected to continuous unwanted and unsolicited sexual advances.”
Haskell filed her lawsuit the same week that Time magazine named “The Silence Breakers” as its 2017 Person of the Year. The cover image includes Ashley Judd, Taylor Swift and former Uber engineer Susan Fowler, who have all spoken out against various forms of sexual misconduct in the past year. The cover also includes the arm of a woman whose face viewers cannot see. Her presence is meant to represent all the women and men who fear coming forward with their own stories.
Haskell, through her attorney, told the Post that she wanted her name to be made public, though she did not make any additional comment on the lawsuit.
Moon requested a leave of absence from his role as an analyst for the Seattle Seahawks’ radio broadcast. According to ESPN, Moon was in the midst of his 14th season as a Seahawks analyst.
This article has been updated with a statement by Moon’s lawyer.