Who owns Catch NYC & Roof? Woman sues Jamie Foxx for alleged sexual assault and restaurant for failing to prevent it
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Catch NYC & Roof, a popular New York City restaurant, has been accused of negligence by a woman who has sued Jamie Foxx for an alleged sexual assault. The eatery was founded by Tilman Fertitta, Mark Birnbaum, and Eugene Remm in 2011.
The plaintiff, identified only as 'Jane Doe', filed the lawsuit in the New York Supreme Court on November 22, alleging that the 55-year-old Oscar winner sexually assaulted her at Catch NYC in August 2015.
Doe’s complaint alleged that Foxx “intentionally and without consent used force to offensively touch Plaintiff’s person,” including groping her breasts and genitals. It also claimed that Foxx seemed “intoxicated” at the time of the incident.
As a result, the complaint states the woman is seeking an undisclosed sum in compensation for her past and present "physical and emotional injuries, anxiety, distress, embarrassment, and economic harm,” according to CNN.
What are Jane Doe’s allegations against Catch NYC & Roof?
Along with Foxx, Doe’s lawsuit names Catch NYC, Mark Birnbaum, and Catch Hospitality Group as additional defendants.
In her complaint, Doe accused the restaurant and bar, as well as Birnbaum, of negligent hiring, training, and supervision. She also claimed that Catch NYC’s staff members failed to report and prevent the alleged incident.
The defendants "had knowledge of Foxx's propensities for aggressive behavior towards females, the potential for unwanted sexual touching, and his bad disposition when consuming excessive alcohol," according to her filing.
Catch NYC & Roof is a part of Catch Hospitality Group, formerly EMM Group, which was founded in 2006 by Remm and Birnbaum.
EMM has now developed a portfolio of successful ventures across New York, Los Angeles, Dubai,[3] and Playa del Carmen.
Following CHG’s success, co-founder Birnbaum was named one of the "New Kings of New York Hospitality" by Forbes Magazine in 2016.
In addition to Catch, he has also started other successful restaurants and clubs in New York City, including Lexington Brass, Tenjune, and The Ainsworth.
What are Jane Doe’s allegations against Jamie Foxx?
In the lawsuit, Doe claimed that the alleged incident took place at around 1 am, a few hours after she and a friend were seated at a table away from Foxx at the celebrity hotspot, according to Daily Mail.
The complaint stated that at one point, “the plaintiff's friend asked Foxx if he'd take a photo with her and the plaintiff” to which the 'Amazing Spiderman' star replied, “Sure, baby anything for you.”
She claims he “seemed intoxicated at the time” and told her that “she looked like Gabrielle Union.”
The plaintiff said that when he reportedly became physical with her, she "attempted to step away and noticed a security guard and others who saw what had happened," but claims that they "chose to walk away."
She claimed “Jamie stopped touching her” after her friend noticed what allegedly occurred. The plaintiff alleges that as a result of the "sexual assault, abuse, assault, and battery," she sought medical attention and endured physical and psychological suffering.
The suit is filed under New York's Adult Survivors Act, which opened a one-year revival window to file sexual abuse claims that would otherwise be barred by the statute of limitations, according to Daily Mail.