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Pop star Justin Bieber files $20 million lawsuit against sexual assault accusers
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Singer Justin Bieber poses at the premiere for the documentary television series 'Justin Bieber: Seasons' in Los Angeles, California, United States, on January 27, 2020. (REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni)
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ustin Bieber has filed a US$20 million defamation lawsuit against two women who had previously accused him of sexual assault on social media, reports People.com.
The identities of the two women remain anonymous, aside from their Twitter handles - @danielleglvn and @ItsnotKadi, and the first names - Danielle and Kadi - they went by on the said accounts.
Bieber's lawyers said that the accusations against the 26-year-old singer are "factually impossible, and disproven both by indisputable documentary evidence and the individuals' own admissions."
They said: "Danielle claimed she was sexually assaulted at the Four Seasons Hotel on March 9, 2014. However, Bieber did not stay at that hotel in March 2014."
"There are multiple witnesses and documentary evidence to dispute Danielle's malicious lie."
Bieber has responded to the assault allegations by Danielle in a series of tweets posted on Monday.
"I don't normally address things as I have dealt with random accusations my entire career but after talking with my wife [Hailey Baldwin] and team I have decided to speak up on an issue tonight."
He continued: "Rumors are rumors but sexual abuse is something I don't take lightly. I wanted to speak out right away but out of respect to so many victims who deal with these issues daily, I wanted to make sure I gathered the facts before I made any statement."
Bieber then posted receipts and emails, showing that the singer never stayed at the Four Seasons Hotel, refuting Danielle's claim of sexual assault.
In the lawsuit filing, Kadi's accusation has been dismissed for being "likewise factually impossible", adding that it is "contradicted by her own prior written statements", and "supported only by falsified or faked texts".
Kadi tweeted that on May 5, 2015, she had been invited to Bieber's hotel - Langham hotel - in New York City, where she was sexually assaulted.
According to the filing, the timing of the assault - at Bieber's hotel room at 2:30 am - could not have been possible, as at "the same time, Bieber was actually at the Met Gala after-party with dozens of witnesses."
The filing states: "Bieber did not sexually assault Kadi, or anyone else, in a hotel room in New York, on the night of May 4, 2015, early AM of May 5, 2015."
Bieber concluded the tweets, writing: "Every claim of sexual abuse should be taken very seriously and this is why my response was needed. However this story is factually impossible and that is why I will be working with Twitter and authorities to take legal action."
This article appeared on The Straits Times newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
