Tyler Perry Faces $260 Million Lawsuit Alleging Sexual Assault

The industry heavy-hitter has denied the claims brought forward by an actor who has starred in a few of his productions. The lawsuit was filed last Friday.

Derek Dixon is suing Tyler Perry for $260 million over allegations of sexual harassment, assault, and retaliation. The charges go as far back as September 2019, when the pair first met at an event.

Perry reportedly picked Dixon out from a crowd and asked for his number, suggesting he might have a role for him. Dixon was indeed cast in small roles, appearing in Perry's shows "Ruthless" and "The Oval."

However, during his stints in the series, Dixon says Perry created a "coercive, sexually exploitative dynamic" between them, according to documents obtained by PEOPLE. This dynamic allegedly carried over into their professional collaborations—some of which never materialized.

In addition to allegedly subjecting Dixon to "escalating sexual harassment, assault, and battery," the documents accuse Perry of "professional retaliation when Mr. Dixon did not reciprocate Mr. Perry's unwanted advances."

The assaults and unwanted sexual advances reportedly continued for years, leading to severe mental health issues for Dixon, who would eventually move to California to create "some distance" between himself and Perry.

Dixon is now requesting a jury trial and for damages of $260 million. Perry's attorney, Matthew Boyd, has responded to the allegations with a statement.

"This is an individual who got close to Tyler Perry for what now appears to be nothing more than setting up a scam. But Tyler will not be shaken down and we are confident these fabricated claims of harassment will fail," Boyd said.