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Yoga guru Bikram Choudhury accused of rape and racism in explosive lawsuit
Bikram Choudhury, the founder of a popular style of hot yoga, is facing another lawsuit related to accusations that he runs his yoga school in Los Angeles rife with misogyny, homophobia, racism, sexual harassment and threats of violence.In the June lawsuit, which is the latest of three similar suits, Choudhury is sued by a former legal advisor that used to work for him atBikram’s Yoga College of India.
Minakshi Jaffa-Bodde accuses him of raping and sexual assaulting employees and students, and says that he referred to female employees as "EDITes," at times. He also used other insults.
“There’s a great desire to keep Bikram’s conduct in the dark,” Carla Minnard, the civil rights lawyer representing Jaffa-Bodde, tellsHuffington Post. “It shows an inability by anyone to restrain an individual who is a dangerous person.”
The suit suggests Choudhury also made homophobic and racist comments.
“AIDS is caused by gays, it is the truth,” the lawsuit quotes Choudhury as saying, “But these f---ing a--hole guys love me, they love Bikram.”
“These blacks just don’t get my yoga,” he is quoted in the suit as saying.
Jaffa-Bodden claims that while she was working for Choudhury she was made aware of two lawsuit against the guru related to allegations of rape and sexual harassment by other students. She looked into the matter, only to be rebuffed by Choudhury who told her "not look into it any further.”
The suit also alleges that Choudhury threatened to deport Jaffa-Bodden and her 8-year-old daughter, unlawfully took back possession of the company-owned vehicle Jaffa-Boden used, and evicted her from the house the firm had furnished for her.
She was forced to resign in March 2013 after Choudhury made her sign papers, the suit states.
In a previous lawsuit filed in May, a former student accuses the yoga guru of having forced and unprotected intercourse with her while she begged and cried for him to stop.
In the second lawsuit from May, a different student says he pushed her towards the floor, pulled her arm and leg apart, and pressed his body into hers while whispering sexual things until she started crying.
Minakshi Jaffa-Bodde accuses him of raping and sexual assaulting employees and students, and says that he referred to female employees as "EDITes," at times. He also used other insults.
“There’s a great desire to keep Bikram’s conduct in the dark,” Carla Minnard, the civil rights lawyer representing Jaffa-Bodde, tellsHuffington Post. “It shows an inability by anyone to restrain an individual who is a dangerous person.”
The suit suggests Choudhury also made homophobic and racist comments.
“AIDS is caused by gays, it is the truth,” the lawsuit quotes Choudhury as saying, “But these f---ing a--hole guys love me, they love Bikram.”
“These blacks just don’t get my yoga,” he is quoted in the suit as saying.
Jaffa-Bodden claims that while she was working for Choudhury she was made aware of two lawsuit against the guru related to allegations of rape and sexual harassment by other students. She looked into the matter, only to be rebuffed by Choudhury who told her "not look into it any further.”
The suit also alleges that Choudhury threatened to deport Jaffa-Bodden and her 8-year-old daughter, unlawfully took back possession of the company-owned vehicle Jaffa-Boden used, and evicted her from the house the firm had furnished for her.
She was forced to resign in March 2013 after Choudhury made her sign papers, the suit states.
In a previous lawsuit filed in May, a former student accuses the yoga guru of having forced and unprotected intercourse with her while she begged and cried for him to stop.
In the second lawsuit from May, a different student says he pushed her towards the floor, pulled her arm and leg apart, and pressed his body into hers while whispering sexual things until she started crying.
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