Lena Zawaideh, right, made the complaint about the snowboarding superstar Shaun White. Photos / Getty Images, Instagram
Lena Zawaideh, right, made the complaint about the snowboarding superstar Shaun White. Photos / Getty Images, Instagram
Jawdropping sexual harassment allegations against snowboarding legend Shaun White have resurfaced after a lawsuit lodged against him by the former drummer of his band Bad Things was published in full online.
The 76-page complaint filed by Lena Zawaideh paints an ugly picture of the much-loved Olympian, describing him as a controlling, self-obsessed misogynist who made her life hell over seven years.
The lawsuit was filed in late 2016 and settled for an undisclosed sum in May last year but resurfaced overnight after an article in Slate questioned White's credentials as a national role model given the sordid allegations outlined in the complaint.
Zawaideh, left, in Bad Things with White, right. Photo / via Instagram
It resurfaced as White won the men's half-pipe final at PyeongChang, making him the first American man to win gold at three separate Winter Olympics.
Ms Zawaideh, who formed Bad Things with White in 2008, claims he sent her a series of sexually explicit text messages featuring "engorged" and "erect" penises as well as pornographic videos.
"Lena Zawaideh, the only female member in Bad Things, learned the darker side of Shaun White when he repeatedly sexually harassed her and forced his authoritarian management style on her for over seven years," the lawsuit says.
"White sent sexually explicit and graphic images to (Ms) Zawaideh of engorged and erect penises, forced her to watch sexually disturbing videos, including videos sexualising human faecal matter, and made vulgar sexual remarks to her such as, 'Don't forget to s*ck his balls!' when commenting on her boyfriend.
"At one point, White stuck his hands down his pants, approached Zawaideh, and stuck his hands in her face trying to make her smell them."
According to the complaint, White showed Ms Zawaideh a notorious video clip called "Shake the Bear" which featured "a couple killing a bear and then having sex on top of it".
Text messages allegedly sent by White.
Text messages allegedly sent by White.
Text messages allegedly sent by White.
Text messages allegedly sent by White.
On another occasion, Ms Zawaideh claims, the snowboarder forced her to watch a video called "Church of Fudge," described as "hardcore porn involving a priest, a nun and fecal matter".
Ms Zawaideh was 17 or 18 years old at the time and went along with his behaviour because "she did not want to cause problems for the band or be terminated", according to the suit.
She claims White appointed himself boss of the group because he was rich, famous and had connections, paying them a monthly salary of $4762.
According to the complaint, their relationship further deteriorated in January 2013 when White allegedly demanded the band to follow him around the country to rehearse while he was training for the Olympics.
Ms Zawaideh also claims White forced her to work while she was sick and at one point even cut off her salary because he "believed she didn't need the money".
Another series of text messages allegedly shows White ordering Ms Zawaideh to change her appearance to suit his taste and becoming angry when she refused. "As the financier of Bad Things, White used his role to impose a strict regimen over Zawaideh, going so far as to demand that she cut her hair, wear sexually revealing clothes and underwear, and refrain from wearing red lipstick," the lawsuit says.
Zawaideh, seen here in a band picture left, alleges that in March 2014, White, right, became "increasingly hostile" after failing to win a medal at the Olympics
The documents allege that in March 2014, White became "increasingly hostile" after failing to win a medal at the Olympics and took out his frustration on Ms Zawaideh, consistently calling her a "b*tch".
Ms Zawaideh alleged there were also times when she felt physically threatened by White.
"On a few occasions when the band was practising, White gestured that he was going to backhand Zawaideh," the complaint says.
"He yelled out uncalled for remarks such as, 'I'll f**king slap you.' Zawaideh was fearful that White would hit her."
On another occasion, Ms Zawaideh claims she witnessed White tell a taxi driver: "You suck d**k for a living!"
In August 2016, White acknowledged sending the texts but alleged Ms Zawaideh was using them to get money out of him, including more than $50,000 she claimed he owed her in back payments.
"Many years ago, I exchanged texts with a friend who is now using them to craft a bogus lawsuit," he said in a statement issued through his lawyer.
"There is absolutely no coincidence to the timing of her claims, and we will defend them vigorously in court."
In response, Ms Zawaideh said she was pursuing the case "because women should not have to tolerate harassment at work".
"Shaun White should not be allowed to do whatever he wants just because he is famous. Although I am embarrassed to have been treated this way, I cannot sit by and watch him do this to other women."
According to TMZ, White submitted — and later withdrew — a request for Ms Zawaideh to undergo a mental health examination to back her claims of emotional and mental distress.
The pair settled for an undisclosed sum in May 2017.
