Ex-Assistant Awarded Over $4 Million In LA Sexual Assault Suit Against Soulja Boy

Grammy-nominated rapper Soulja Boy, whose legal name is DeAndre Cortez Way, was recently found liable for assault, sexual battery, and intentional infliction of emotional abuse in a civil lawsuit filed by his former personal assistant in Los Angeles County Superior Court. The outcome is a major milestone for victims of assault and for the ongoing conversation about workplace rights and responsibility in the entertainment industry.

The plaintiff, referred to as “Jane Doe” in court to protect her identity, worked for Soulja Boy as his personal assistant during 2018 and 2019. In the lawsuit, she described a disturbing pattern of abuse by Soulja Boy that took place during her employment. She alleged that she was subjected to repeated acts of sexual violence, including being forced into non-consensual sex “multiple times per day.” The former assistant also testified that Soulja Boy would routinely physically assault her, including punching her, kicking her, and pulling her hair while she was working at his home.

According to court documents, one of the most disturbing incidents occurred in early 2019, when Soulja Boy allegedly became angry and locked his former assistant in a room for several hours, refusing her food, water, or the ability to leave. She recalled being left bloodied from the attack and claimed she felt terrified for her life.

After recalling the traumatic events in her testimony, the plaintiff stated, “I don’t even recognize that person anymore—the person he turned me into. It was the worst version of myself. It was like I was in survival mode.” According to the complaint, Soulja Boy would threaten her and attempt to control nearly every aspect of her day-to-day life, adding to her fear and emotional distress.

After deliberation, the Los Angeles jury found Soulja Boy civilly liable for sexual battery, sexual harassment, gender violence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and false imprisonment. The jury awarded the plaintiff more than $4 million in damages to compensate for her pain, suffering, and emotional distress, as well as punitive damages meant to prevent similar actions from happening again.

The Plaintiff’s attorney said in a statement after the verdict, “We’re happy our client was vindicated, and the jury believed her claims of physical and sexual assault. We’re looking forward to moving on to the punitive damages phase of the case.”

Soulja Boy has denied the allegations and instead claims Jane Doe was an ex-girlfriend, not an employee. He also told the jury that the relationship was entirely consensual and that the sexual assault allegations caused him to lose out on a “big performance at Coachella.”

The jury’s decision makes a powerful statement in support of victims’ rights and workplace safety.