DJ and EDM star Bassnectar, who attended America’s biggest music festivals before retiring from his career last summer, has been charged in a new trial of sexual abuse of underage girls.
Two women, in a lawsuit filed Monday and obtained by USA TODAY, allege that Bassnectar, 43, whose legal name is Lorin Ashton, used his platform as a famous musician to “cure and ultimately sexually victimize underage girls », Solicit their nude photos and subject them to sex trafficking when he was in his thirties.
“These outrageous claims – which were clearly designed for the media, rather than the courts – are completely unfounded, and we look forward to proving it,” Bassnectar’s attorney Mitchell Schuster said in a statement to USA TODAY.
The lawsuit claims that “it was quite clear that Bassnectar was targeting and engaging in commercial sex acts with minors and using his shows and organizations to exploit young girls for his own sexual satisfaction.” In fact, it was a common joke among associates. with Bassnectar that he should find a date at a high school ball. ”
Similar accusations were made online last year. Without directly addressing the allegations, Bassnectar announced on July 3, 2020, it was “take a step back from my career and… my position of power and privilege in this community because I want to take responsibility and responsibility. ”
He continued, “I feel intense compassion for anyone I may have hurt. I really hope you allow me a chance to work together to heal. The rumors you are hearing are false, but I realize that some of my past actions have caused pain and I am deeply sorry. ”
Both plaintiffs allege the DJ would keep in touch with fans found on Twitter via text and email. They claim he knew they were minors and would ask questions about their personal lives and give them advice, “including encouraging them to watch” American Beauty, “a movie about an older man in a relationship. with a young girl. “
He then offered free tickets and travel arrangements to his shows, according to the lawsuit, after which he “mandated” that condoms would not be used for sex acts, paid high school girls between $ 300 and $ 1,600 and pushed them to maintain their interactions. a secret.
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Following the start of the Me Too movement in 2016, in which several high profile celebrities were publicly called out for sexual harassment and abuse, one of the accusers said Bassnectar contacted her, “checking in with her often and telling her ‘you know I love you.’ “She later told him that she had started therapy as a result of what he had done to her and on June 3, 2020, according to the lawsuit, the two spoke on the phone, during which he admitted that what he had done was “so inappropriate”, “completely wrong” and the result of an imbalance of power as a celebrity.
“We have seen in recent years that powerful people and institutions have finally been held to account for years of sexual abuse against adults and minors. But we have only started to scratch the surface of how these influential figures and entities can continue for years to commit abuse without being held accountable, ”lawyer Brian Kent said in a statement.
“This lawsuit seeks justice not only against Bassnectar but also against companies that cooperate and help facilitate the abuses he is alleged to have committed.”
