'Bachelorette' villain Chad Johnson sues producer over alleged sexual harassment
The Bachelor Nation bad boy Chad Johnson who is best known for his appearance on Jo Jo Fletcher's season of the 'Bachelorette' and then late on 'Bachelor in Paradise' is reportedly suing a female producer for sexual harassment.
The ABC reality TV star has already filed a lawsuit against Sunset Studios Entertainment and producer Cristina Cimino and has alleged assault, battery, fraud, and emotional distress according to People. In the lawsuit, Johnson has claimed that Cimino made "persistent and rigorous" advances of a "sexual and provocative" nature which he "repeatedly" refused.
She then went on and allegedly "escalated her efforts to exert control over" Johnson by offering him two film roles in writing as well as an $11 million payday. When he did accept the parts but maintained that "he was not interested in having a sexual or romantic relationship," Cimino told him he could not be in either of the movies.
According to Johnson's suit, he had met Cimino when she originally reached out to him on Instagram via direct message and offered him job opportunities in projects that Sunset Studios Entertainment were producing. On March 10, Cimino's messages started to get flirty and she asked if he had a "jealous girlfriend". Johnson claims he told her that he did not date.
Reportedly six days later, she allegedly wrote to him, "Hey wanna come over later? Clothing is optional, nakedness is preferable". However, she later said that she sent the message to the wrong person.
According to the complaint, on that very same day, Cimino asked Johnson whether he was "comfortable with on-screen nudity" and was also later asked for his "best fitness pictures" before sending him an "inappropriate" photograph of herself and admitting she was "shamelessly" flirting with him.
When Johnson was able to meet Cimino in person in LA, he alleges that she convinced him to stay in her hotel room but insists that no sexual interactions happened between them. The final tipping point came when Cimino reportedly texted Johnson and claimed that they had made out and he grabbed her butt.
Cimino apologized for the statement and said, "Well can you blame me? Lol. I literally shamelessly flirted with you, told you that I used to run around naked at the sorority house, told you that you had a hot bod and then sent you a pretty inappropriate picture of myself… lol".
The suit also states, "Cimino committed the acts allegedly herein willfully, maliciously and oppressively with the wrongful intention of injuring Johnson. Cimino further acted with an improper and intentional motive amounting to malice, and in conscious disregard of Johnson’s rights".
In the suit, Johnson denies Cimino’s claims and says that she was the aggressor who pulled his movie roles after he did not oblige. Johnson is currently looking to seek monetary damages and has claimed that he turned down other projects for the two roles that Cimino had pulled from him.
Many Bachelor fans will know Johnson from Jo Jo Fletcher's season of the 'Bachelorette' where he would often butt heads with many of Fletcher's other suitors especially Evan Bass. Bachelor host Chris Harrison said of Johnson, "There are some crazy dynamic characters, maybe one of the wildest guys that Bachelor Nation will love to hate this season".
Eventually, Johnson was kicked off the spinoff Bachelor in Paradise after Chris Harrison sent him packing due to his drunken and bad behavior. He also appeared on the reality shows Famously Single and Celebrity Big Brother.