LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Music mogul Antonio 'LA' Reid, who is married to Erica Reid, is now facing a lawsuit for sexual assault and harassment filed by a former colleague, Drew Dixon.
Dixon, who worked for Reid during her time at Arista Records, alleges that she was sexually assaulted twice by the musician in 2001.
Drew Dixon levels assault allegations against Antonio LA Reid
Dixon's lawsuit states that the first assault occurred during a trip to Puerto Rico on a private plane for a company retreat.
She alleges that Reid initiated unwanted advances, including touching and kissing her without her consent. This incident was followed by another alleged assault in Reid's car, where he once again violated her boundaries.
Furthermore, Dixon claims that her career at Arista Records began to derail after the alleged assaults.
She alleges that Reid actively hindered her professional growth and interfered with her ability to sign and develop artists like John Legend. Notably, Reid helped kickstart careers of the some of the biggest stars, including Pink, Usher, and Mariah Carey.
Timeline of LA Reid's alleged misconduct as CEO of Arista Records
These alleged incidents took place shortly after Reid assumed the role of CEO and president at Arista Records in 2000. According to Dixon's lawsuit, Reid began sexually harassing her "almost immediately" after his appointment.
This pattern of behavior reportedly included late-night phone calls, inappropriate meeting suggestions in hotel rooms, and an expectation that Dixon would dress to his liking, New York Times reports.
While Reid has not directly addressed the specific claims made in the lawsuit, he did release a statement to The New York Times in 2017.
"I'm proud of my track record promoting, supporting and uplifting women at every company I've ever run. That notwithstanding, if I have ever said anything capable of being misinterpreted, I apologize unreservedly," he said.
Dixon's lawsuit was made possible thanks to the Adult Survivors Act, which allows victims of sexual violence to seek justice for incidents that occurred decades ago. Dixon herself advocated for this legislation, and the window for filing such lawsuits is set to close on November 24, 2023.
Kenya K Davis, who is serving as one of Dixon's lawyers said, "When you’re talking about someone’s career being under siege, there is this dance that happens — her trying to make sure that she doesn’t completely alienate him, but she does not want to succumb to being assaulted. He was relentless. And in defying him, she paid the price."
