Scriptwriter ‘Taxi Driver’ accused of sexual assault

The filmmaker Paul Schrader is the subject of a trial by a former personal assistant, who alleges that he assaulted him and sexually harassed during his employment time, reports The independent newspaper.

The British title adds that these allegations, the subject of legal action filed before the civil court by the nameless woman, were revealed after Schrader returned a confidential settlement previously agreed and that the complainant filed a new student at the Supreme Court of New York State.

AP News reports that the complainant requests the order of a judge to enforce the agreement after Schrader said he could not do so. The terms of the regulation have not been disclosed.

Schrader’s lawyer Philip Kessler said The independent that the filmmaker – whose scripting credits include Taxi driver,, American Gigolo And Unleashing bull and an Oscar appointment for 2017 First reformed – denied all the allegations made against him, calling him “a desperate, frivolous and opportunistic assertion”. We contacted Schrader’s legal representatives to comment.

The former personal assistant, at the age of 26, made allegations in the trial occurring his time to work for Schrader 2021 to September 2024, in particular:

That Schrader used his position of power to sexually assault the complainant, attract him to a hotel room, catch him and embrace him, then three days later, forcing her in his hotel room where he exhibited;

Schrader “Force (d) him to work in a sexually hostile, intimidating and humiliating environment on a daily basis, if not scheduled”;

A “dam” of harassment by Schrader, in particular, among others, “a forced exhibition of his genitals, unwanted sexual advances, repeatedly professing her love and her desire to touch Ms. Doe (both verbally and via many emails), and inappropriate and misogynist sexual questions and an almost confessional conflict”;

Schrader dismissed her last September after rejected his advances.

Schrader’s lawyer said: “The underlying intentions of the applicant here contain many material inaccuracies, and are obviously designed to paint Mr. Schrader in a very false day, in order to intimidate him and forcing him to settle. And to be very clear, Mr. Schrader never had sex with the applicant, and he has always tried such a thing.