Bassnectar ‘accused of sex trafficking, paying underage girls for unprotected sex & demanding child abuse pics’
EDM DJ and record producer Bassnectar has been accused of trafficking a pair of underage girls, paying them hush money and demanding they send explicit pictures in an explosive new lawsuit.
Lorin Ashton, 43, allegedly groomed the two women, known as Rachel and Alexis, after getting in touch with them via social media in 2012.
He has been hit with a lawsuit demanding damages for the emotional stress and medical expenses of the two women, according to court documents obtained by TMZ.
Ashton has been accused of “sex trafficking,” “child pornography” and “sexual abuse” in the filing.
Bassnectar allegedly first contacted the girls via direct messages on social media, beginning with Rachel in 2012 and Alexis in 2014.
The women claim that the electronic dance music artist suggested they watch the 1999 film American Beauty, which they described as “a movie about an older man having a relationship with a young girl”.
Kevin Spacey stars as a suburban father who becomes obsessed with his daughter’s best friend, played by Mena Suvari.
They also alleged Bassnectar had even egotistically referred to the film and its content during his shows.
The lawsuit states his formerly squeaky-clean public image was “nothing more than a veil to mask his sinister desires and actions and a means to use his power and influence to groom and ultimately sexually victimize underage girls.”
Both Rachel and Alexis maintain Bassnectar was well aware of their young ages, but he continued contact – sending them tickets to his shows and organizing travel arrangements.
He later asked the women to accompany him to his hotel room for sexual encounters, according to the court documents.
Ashton allegedly demanded they shower and then “mandated” that they had sex “without the use of a condom”.
The women told the court that the EDM DJ had given them “large sums of cash and other items of value in exchange.”
He offered them between $300 to $1,600, while seeking to control their lives and ensure their silence regarding their respective relationships.
Bassnectar also allegedly demanded the victims send him sexually explicit pictures via their cell phones.
Rachel claimed that their sexual relationship began in May 2013 after he had contacted her in late 2012.
Alexis said in the court documents that she was contacted by the 43-year-old in 2014, and had a sexual relationship with him over the next two years.
Allegations that surfaced last summer accusing Bassnectar of inappropriate behavior were vehemently denied by the musician in a statement to a Facebook fan group set to private
Ashton wrote: “The rumors of sexual misconduct that are circulating about me are completely untrue. I want to leave it at that, because it truly is that simple,” Your EDM reported in June 2020.
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“I have never been involved in anything that was not absolutely, unequivocally consensual. During a time when high profile men are being called out for their violence against women, I am proud to be an ally of women and stand in solidarity with victims,” he continued.
‘Thank you to all those who are listening to real victims of abuse and standing to support women.”
It came at a time when a string of EDM artists were called out online regarding accusations of sexual harassment against women.