Los Angeles (CNN) — Three dancers fired from Cher’s tour accuse the singer of covering up an alleged sexual assault by another dancer.
The allegations are part of a lawsuit filed against Cher and her touring company in Los Angeles Wednesday.
“These accusations are ridiculous and could not be further from the truth,” Cher publicist Liz Rosenberg told CNN Thursday.
While the complaint alleges racial discrimination by Cher, accusing her of hiring a white, blonde dancer over a more qualified African American, the lawsuit centers on California’s whistleblower law that protects employees who are fired for reporting illegal activity.
“Cher was personally involved in the coverup of a sexual assault against a female fan by one of her other male dancers while on Cher’s Dressed to Kill tour,” the suit said.
The alleged sex assault happened in a St. Louis hotel on June 3, after a show on the tour, the lawsuit said.
A recently-hired dancer invited a female fan to his hotel room, it said. The fan, identified as “Jenn,” later complained to another dancer, Jacquelyn Ballinger, that the male dancer pressured Jenn to have sex with him.
“When she refused, the dancer became angry,” the complaint said. “Jenn asked for Ms. Ballinger not to leave Jenn alone and for help, to which Ms. Ballinger obliged.” Read more
Read the full complaint filed against Cher