A former Saturday Night Live star is the latest celebrity to find themselves entangled in a sexual assault scandal. Horatio Sanz was featured on the long-running sketch comedy series from 1998 to 2006, and while his tenure was applauded, a woman has come forward with a lawsuit, claiming that when she was between 15 and 17 years old, she was groomed by the actor.
According to reports, the unnamed woman lists herself as Jane Doe in court documents that also include NBCUniversal and SNL Studios as co-defendants. The woman alleges that back in 1999 when he was 14-years-old, she created a fan website for Jimmy Fallon when the Tonight Show star was featured on SNL. The following year, Doe alleges that both Fallon and Sanz contact her about the website and it was then that Sanz reportedly began an inappropriate relationship with her.
Documents claim that Doe and Sanz met face to face when she was invited to a live taping of SNL. She noted in the lawsuit that he was "flirtatious and physically affectionate," adding that he was "kissing her cheek and putting his hands on her waist." She reportedly continued to visit SNL tapings until 2002 and stated she would attend afterparties where she was allegedly given alcohol.
At 17-years-old, Doe claims that Sanz touched her "sexual or intimate parts for the purpose of degrading or abusing Plaintiff and/or for sexual gratification, including: kissing her, groping her breasts, groping her buttocks, and digitally penetrating her genitals forcibly and without Plaintiff's consent." Doe also says that there were several witnesses to the incident.
There are also allegations that Sanz spoke with Doe on AOL Instagram Messenger about "sexual experiences, sexual activities, sexual fantasies, masturbation and Sanz's instruction of plaintiff in sexual acts." Doe alleges that Sanz told her: "Don't tell anybody. Promise?" She claims when she went to college, the contact ceased, but in 2019, Doe states he sent her messages apologizing for his previous behavior and telling her that if she wants to "MeToo" him, "You have every right."
However, Sanz's attorney denies all of the allegations against him.
"This individual's claims about Horatio Sanz are categorically false. However often she repeats her ludicrous allegations or tries to rope in other high-profile names to generate media attention, they will always be false," said the attorney. "Before filing this lawsuit anonymously, she demanded $7.5 million in exchange for her silence. We, of course, refused and will vigorously contest these totally meritless claims."
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