Tyler Perry’s legal team denounces $260 million sexual assault lawsuit as a ‘scam’

Perry’s legal camp is pushing back hard, dismissing the suit as baseless and financially motivated.

In a statement to TMZ, Perry’s attorney, Matthew Boyd, did not mince words: “This is an individual who got close to Tyler Perry for what now appears to be nothing more than setting up a scam. But Tyler will not be shaken down, and we are confident these fabricated claims of harassment will fail.”

The lawsuit was filed on Friday, June 13, by actor Derek Dixon, best known for playing Dale in Perry’s political drama The Oval. Dixon is accusing Perry of “a sustained pattern of workplace sexual harassment, assault, and retaliation,” and is suing the media mogul for alleged quid pro quo harassment, a hostile work environment, and sexual assault and battery.

According to court documents, Dixon and Perry’s paths first crossed in 2019 during the grand opening of Tyler Perry Studios, where Dixon worked as part of an event planning team. Dixon claims that his role at the event required frequent interactions with Perry, who, at the end of the evening, allegedly asked for his phone number and began inquiring about his career ambitions.

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Soon after, Perry allegedly cast Dixon in a minor role on his BET+ series Ruthless. But it wasn’t long, the lawsuit claims, before the communications turned “strange and untowardly,” with Perry reportedly sending inappropriate messages.

The complaint outlines a troubling timeline, beginning with a January 2020 visit to Perry’s Georgia home. Dixon says the two shared drinks and conversation, and when offered a guest room for the night, he accepted. It was then, Dixon alleges, that Perry entered the room and sexually assaulted him.

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Dixon says that after the incident, he attempted to distance himself, ignoring calls and texts from Perry. But he alleges the outreach became more persistent, culminating in Perry offering him a recurring role in The Oval. Fearing retaliation, Dixon claims he remained on set, enduring Perry’s alleged sexual advances out of concern for his job.

“Dixon immediately understood that his job security depended on his ‘relationship’ with Perry,” the lawsuit states. “From this point on, Dixon worked with the constant fear of losing his job if he did not engage with and endure Perry’s sexual harassment.”

Tensions allegedly escalated after an episode in which Dixon’s character was shot multiple times, suggesting a possible end to his storyline.

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Following the shoot, Perry reportedly invited Dixon to his trailer for drinks, where he allegedly made unwanted sexual advances and assaulted him again.

“As soon as Derek Dixon left the trailer following Perry’s violent assault, Dixon became severely nauseous and extremely anxious about his job, career and livelihood,” the lawsuit claims.

Another disturbing encounter is said to have occurred on Perry’s private island in the Bahamas during a cast party. By late 2020, Dixon alleges he was suffering from emotional and physical exhaustion due to Perry’s “continued pattern of sexual harassment.”

As the alleged behaviour persisted into early 2021, Dixon says he was prescribed antidepressants to cope with the stress.

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Then, in June of that year, he was invited to another meeting at Perry’s home to discuss a pilot Dixon had written, Losing It. There, Dixon alleges, he was assaulted once again.

In an effort to regain peace and distance, Dixon moved to Santa Monica in early 2023. But the lawsuit claims the alleged manipulation continued, with Perry repeatedly dangling promises to produce Dixon’s show; offers that, according to the filing, were merely a tactic “to prevent Dixon from exposing the dark side of Tyler Perry.”

Dixon has remained largely silent publicly. “At this point, Mr. Dixon has no comment. We believe the complaint speaks for itself,” his attorneys told ABC.

For now, Tyler Perry has not personally addressed the allegations in detail, but his team is signalling a clear intention to fight back.

“This is an individual who got close to Tyler Perry for what now appears to be nothing more than setting up a scam,” Boyd reiterated. “But Tyler will not be shaken down, and we are confident these fabricated claims of harassment will fail.”

As the case develops, both legal teams will likely prepare for a drawn-out legal battle, one with serious implications for one of Hollywood’s most powerful figures.

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