Actor Vin Diesel has been cleared of legal claims brought by a former assistant who accused him of sexual battery, following a ruling in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
The Fast & Furious star, 58, had spent two years disputing allegations from former assistant Asta Jonasson, who claimed he assaulted her in 2010 at the St. Regis hotel in Atlanta during the filming of Fast Five.
Jonasson’s attorney, Matthew Hale, emphasized to Deadline that the court’s ruling did not address the truthfulness of her allegations.
“The ruling was based on a legal technicality, with which we respectfully disagree,” Hale said. “Ms. Jonasson intends to appeal.”
Judge Daniel M. Crowley dismissed the remaining claims after determining that California law could not apply to an alleged incident that took place in another state. In his 13-page summary judgment, he noted: “It is undisputed that the alleged sexual assault took place in Atlanta, Georgia.” He further stated that the lawsuit failed because California statutes are not presumed to apply outside the state unless the Legislature explicitly authorizes it.
The decision followed a hearing earlier in November in downtown Los Angeles. Hale had argued the case belonged in California because production in Georgia was temporary, both Jonasson and Diesel were California residents at the time, and Jonasson was employed by a California-based company.
Diesel’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, welcomed the outcome.
“We are grateful that the court put an end to this meritless lawsuit. We are pleased that this matter has been resolved entirely,” he said. Freedman has repeatedly stated that Diesel “categorically denies this claim in its entirety,” calling the accusation a more-than-13-year-old allegation from a “purportedly nine-day employee.”
Jonasson had alleged in her 2023 filing that she was hired by One Race Films while Diesel worked on Fast Five in Georgia. She claimed she was in Diesel’s suite at the St. Regis hotel while he entertained several women, and that after the last woman left, she was instructed to escort him out discreetly. At that point, she alleged that Diesel forcibly touched and kissed her, escalated his advances, and sexually assaulted her before leaving the room.
She also claimed that a few hours later, she received a call from Diesel’s sister, Samantha Vincent, president of One Race Films, informing her that her services were no longer needed.
Despite the dismissal, Jonasson’s legal team says they will continue to pursue the matter through an appeal.
