What occurs in Vegas doesn’t keep in Vegas — when it allegedly takes place in a Sin Metropolis FBI office.
An FBI agent claims in a brand new lawsuit that she was subjected to repeated sexual harassment on the Bureau’s Las Vegas office, together with by a supervisor who as soon as allegedly texted her a photograph of a rainbow-colored sex toy.
Within the swimsuit filed final week towards US Lawyer Basic Merrick Garland as head of the company, FBI Supervisory Particular Agent Karen Veltri alleges she was sexually harassed by two supervisors — then retaliated towards for reporting the abuse to a number of oversight our bodies.
Veltri finally reported the harassment in an e mail to FBI Director Christopher Wray, states the swimsuit filed in Nevada federal courtroom, which seeks unspecified damages.
The harassment started when — after stints on the Newark subject office and FBI headquarters in Washington — Veltri was transferred to the Las Vegas Division in November 2019, the swimsuit states.
Veltri labored below Assistant Particular Agent in Cost Francis Cucinotta, who she claims tried to have a sexual relationship with her and made a number of inappropriate feedback to her.
In a single occasion, in January 2020, Cucinotta allegedly spoke to her Veltri about “floor balls,” which she understood to be a sexual euphemism, the swimsuit states.
“I’m certain you realize all in regards to the bases, however I’m speaking about floor balls,” he stated and winked, based on the swimsuit.
In one other occasion, when Veltri wore her hair down at work, Cucinotta informed her how “good” it regarded and stated she ought to “put on it down extra usually,” based on the swimsuit.
In spring 2020, Veltri complained about Cucinotta’s conduct to Supervisory Particular Agent Robert Bennett — who was additionally an worker help program officer, a place designed to assist staff who face conditions which will have an effect on their work, the swimsuit states.
As a substitute of serving to her, Bennett additionally allegedly sexually harassed Veltri, based on the swimsuit.
“On November 20, 2020, Bennett despatched Plaintiff in a textual content message on her bureau-issued mobile phone, {a photograph} with a rainbow-colored dildo between his legs,” the swimsuit states, including that Veltri believed he was attempting to substantiate her sexuality as a result of colour of the sex toy.
“My Dick pic!!!!!” he wrote below the picture, based on the swimsuit.
4 days later, he allegedly despatched her one other message saying he was “searching for Bieber d–okay pics” and included a photograph of a unicorn with a rainbow-colored horn.
Bennett additionally texted her on a number of events about weapons he owns and about his overconsumption of alcohol, the swimsuit claims.
In a single occasion, he allegedly despatched her photographs of himself at a 2021 Tremendous Bowl social gathering, saying he’d be late to work the subsequent day.
“I’m out hanging with my buddy Chris had fun on the Tremendous Bowl social gathering however I’m clearly f–king drunk so I received’t be in til midday or one,” the textual content learn, based on the swimsuit.
“I simply don’t wanna bulls–t you I’m drunk as f–okay and I would like til midday or one to sober as much as present up so deal with s–t for me,” he added, the swimsuit states.
He additionally allegedly texted her photographs of booze and weapons he owns, which she reported to the bureau’s Equal Employment Alternative Fee, who in flip handed them alongside to the Inspection Division.
Veltri informed the EEO that she was notably involved about “a loaded shotgun Bennett saved in a cupboard, subsequent to his desk, in his office,” given his alleged alcohol abuse.
Veltri reported the harassment by each supervisors to the EEO, the FBI’s Inspection Division and the bureau’s Office of Skilled Accountability — however no motion was taken, based on the swimsuit.
She claimed within the swimsuit that her superiors within the division purposefully downplayed her squad’s accomplishments in the course of the interval when she filed the complaints in an effort to make her seem much less profitable.
The FBI, Bennett and the Division of Justice didn’t instantly reply to request for remark. Cucinotta couldn’t instantly be reached for remark.
Add Comment