AssetID: 55358429
Headline: UNCAPTIONED: Will Smith sued by musician for sexual harassment and wrongful termination
Caption: A professional musician is suing Will Smith and his company for sexual harassment and wrongful termination. Earlier this week, violinist Brian King Joseph filed a civil complaint against the Bad Boys actor and Treyball Studios Management at the Superior Court of California. In the lawsuit, obtained by USA Today, Joseph claimed that he was wrongfully terminated from his job after an incident in Las Vegas in March 2025 amid the Based on a True Story tour. The musician claimed he returned to his hotel room, which had been booked by Smith's company, to find someone had left a "sexual message," wipes, a beer bottle, HIV medication with someone else's name on it, and hospital discharge paperwork. According to Joseph, the note read, "Brian, I'll be back no later (sic) 5:30, just us (heart drawing)," and was signed "Stone F.". He alleged that he reported the finding to hotel staff and Smith's management team. However, Joseph claimed that a member of the tour management team "shamed" him over the report, and he was fired days later. Another violinist was allegedly hired to replace him on the tour. Elsewhere in the lawsuit, Joseph claimed Smith had been "grooming and priming" him "for further sexual exploitation" since November 2024 and that a "sequence of events" and the "circumstances of the hotel intrusion all point to a pattern of predatory behavior rather than an isolated incident". The violinist is suing for intimidation, sexual harassment, retaliation, and wrongful termination. He is seeking compensation for personal and financial damages, having alleged he suffered "severe emotional distress", mental illness, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In a statement issued to People on Thursday, Smith's lawyer, Allen B. Grodsky, denied all allegations in the lawsuit. "Mr. Joseph's allegations concerning my client are false, baseless, and reckless. They are categorically denied, and we will use all legal means available to address these claims and to ensure that the truth is brought to light.". Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT
Keywords: Will Smith,Brian King Joseph,Musician,Sued,Actor,Treyball Studios Management,Superior Court,California,Violinist,Company,Sexual Harassment,Wrongful Termination,Las Vegas,Incident,Hotel Room,Civil,Complaint,Lawyer,Denied
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