A bartender working at a prestigious members-only club in downtown Los Angeles has filed a serious lawsuit claiming that her supervisor drugged and assaulted her. She alleges he said, “If I had met her sooner, she would have been pregnant by now.”
The individual, who is referred to in court filings as Jane Doe, has taken legal action against Soho House and her supervisor, Leonard Marcelo Busiek Maya, in Los Angeles Superior Court. The lawsuit includes allegations of sexual harassment, retaliation, and other grievances linked to her role at the upscale Soho Warehouse.
As stated in the complaint, authorities reviewed the allegations surrounding Doe’s employment, which began as a bartender in September 2025.
Shortly after she started, Doe claims Maya made repeated sexual advances and engaged in unwanted physical contact.
The lawsuit indicates he frequently commented on her looks and suggested they go on dates, and he did this around her colleagues.
A couple of weeks later, she mentioned concerns about his behavior to two male managers, including the floor manager and the food and beverage director. However, she asserts that neither took any significant action.
Doe’s lawyer, Nick Yasman from the West Coast Trial Lawyers Association, criticized the company’s approach in a statement.
“This is an example of a company’s callous indifference to workplace sexual violence that anyone can experience,” Yasman said.
The complaint further claims the situation worsened after a “Team Unite” event on September 13. Following an evening of drinking with a colleague, Doe stated that she blacked out and later woke up naked in Maya’s apartment.
While she gradually regained consciousness, Doe alleges she was unable to speak or move, and Maya proceeded to assault her. The lawsuit describes the moment as one where she watched in horror.
Doe reported the incident the following day. According to her allegations, the general manager responded by saying, “these things happen among coworkers,” and when she insisted that working together was no longer an option, he stated, “I have a restaurant to run. You can’t hold it against me.”
Despite informing three managers about her assault, she claims that she was still scheduled to work with Maya. After filing a HR complaint in December, she was placed on indefinite leave, while Maya continued his role. A month later, she learned that her report had been deemed “unsubstantiated” and Maya wouldn’t face any consequences. Doe ultimately resigned in February.
Founded in 1995 in London, Soho House has grown to include numerous locations globally and boasts a variety of well-known investors.
The company was privatized last year in a deal valued at $2.7 billion involving Apollo Global Management. Efforts have been made to contact Soho House for a statement.
