Comedians Tiffany Haddish and Aries Spears have denied allegations that they groomed two minor siblings and forced them into filming sexually explicit skits. In a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, the complainants are referred to as “Jane Doe” and “John Doe” to protect their privacy.
Per the complaint, Jane Doe was 14 while John Doe was 7 when Haddish and Spears allegedly made them participate in sexually graphic videos some eight years ago. The complaint states that Haddish was a “longtime family friend” of the mother of the siblings who filed the lawsuit. It says that in 2013, Jane Doe was enrolled in a comedy camp. Haddish was there as a guest speaker. She told Jane Doe, who was 14, that “she had a perfect role for her,” according to the complaint.
Haddish, per the suit, drove Jane Doe to a studio where Spears was and the two comedians showed the teen a video of “an older man and a college-age woman” eating a sandwich simultaneously from either end. The older man and woman were “moaning and making sexual noises as they both ate the sandwich in a manner that simulated the act of fellatio.”
“Spears then told Plaintiff Jane Doe that he wanted her to mimic what she had seen on the screen, including the noises precisely like what she heard throughout the video,” the complaint states. “Plaintiff Jane Doe, nervous and disgusted, didn’t say anything until Haddish came into the room next to her and sat down. Haddish verbally explained what was expected of Plaintiff Jane Doe and then showed Plaintiff Jane Doe how to give fellatio, including movements, noises, moaning, and groaning.”
“Physically, emotionally, and mentally uncomfortable, Plaintiff Jane Doe mimicked the acts that Haddish and Spears wanted her to do so she could go home,” the complaint says.
Haddish allegedly paid her $100 and sent her home, the suit continues.
“John Doe” also claims that in summer 2014, Haddish “offered to book, arrange, and film Mr. Doe content for a Nickelodeon sizzle reel at the home of Spears. Haddish claimed the reel would be used to book Mr. Doe on Nickelodeon.”
“Upon information and belief, Haddish and Spears removed the 7-year-old victim from his sister, placed him upstairs in a bedroom, and stripped the child down to his underwear,” the suit states. “The video was entitled ‘Through A Pedophiles Eyes’ and shows Spears lusting over the 7-year-old child” and rubbing his back.
According to the suit, Haddish was present while the entire video was being filmed. Photos that the complainants allege are from the video shoot are included in the suit. Jane Doe is now 22 and John Doe is 15, the suit states, adding that Jane Doe is now the legal guardian of John Doe.
An attorney for Haddish said in a statement to CNN that the plaintiff’s mother “has been trying to assert these bogus claims against Ms. Haddish for several years.”
“Every attorney who has initially taken on her case – and there were several – ultimately dropped the matter once it became clear that the claims were meritless and Ms. Haddish would not be shaken down,” the statement read. It said the mother “has her adult daughter representing herself in this lawsuit. The two of them will together face the consequences of pursuing this frivolous action.”
Debra Opri, an attorney for Spears, also said in a statement to CNN that the comedian “isn’t going to fall for any shakedown.”
