Matt Groening, the Simpsons creator, and his wife Agustina Picasso are being sued by a former employee for allegedly failing to prevent sexual harassment, sexual assault and battery, according to TMZ.
Giavanna Scotto the property manager at Groening’s Santa Monica, California, home, accused an ex-colleague of groping her breasts and buttocks and kissing her against her will multiple times—and alleges that Groening failed to stop her ordeal.
In the suit filed on Friday, she also describes feeling “stalked,” receiving text messages from the alleged assailant including one that read “I miss you so much I love you I hope you are well I love you I love you.”
Scotto says she complained to Groening and Picasso about the alleged sexual misconduct but that the couple “failed to take appropriate corrective actions,” despite claiming Picasso “clearly knew of the harassment and failed to act.”
Groening, whose creations Bart and Homer Simpsons accompanied him to the unveiling of his Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 2009, is accused with his wife of letting their housekeeper be a victim of sexual harassment.
Mario Anzuoni/REUTERS
Scotto alleges that only encouraged her assailant to continue his behavior. In June 2022, she says she was fired without warning or cause.
Groening and Picasso’s compound has an estimated worth of $23.5 million and sits on more than an acre of prime Santa Monica real estate.
Groening, who wed Picasso in 2011 and with whom he has six children, was tied to Jeffrey Epstein after a manuscript written by victim Virginia Roberts described her giving the animation mogul a foot rub aboard the disgraced financier’s private jet.
Roberts, however, made no suggestion of any involvement by Groening in Epstein's crimes or any other wrongdoing.
Neither Groening nor his wife have responded to the lawsuit.