Phillipa Okoye, Wife of NFL Player Lawrence Okoye, Sues deVere Group for Alleged Sexual Harassment
Phillia Okoye’s sexual harassment attorney has filed a legal complaint against her former employers which alleges that the firm subjected her to rampant sexual harassment. Phillipa is married to none other than the NFL football giant Michael Okoye who currently plays for the San Francisco 49ers.
According to the lawsuit, the New York office on the deVere group was being run in a manner portrayed in the films Wolf of Wall Street and Boiler Room. And she chose to work there.
As reported by Wealthmanagement.com, the suit specifically names her immediate superior manager and some other colleagues at the firm as defendants. According to the allegations, Phillipa was employed by the firms New York branch as a senior investment advisor and was the only female employee in an office of at least 20 other workers.
Unprofessional conversations
She claims that she was subjected to lewd and perverted comments about her gender and derogatory remarks about women in general right from the get go. Co-defendant and COO of the investment advisory firm Benjamin Alderson in particular has been accused of saying that he thought it was disgusting when white women dated African American men. Allegedly, he said this while he was well aware that Phillipa was within ear shot.
Allegations of illegal drug culture surfaces in sexual harassment lawsuit
Furthermore, the lawsuit accuses the office of not investigating or taking any action based on her complaints. Apparently, when she made a formal complaint, the COO just casually waived it away by saying that it was only a joke.
Apart from the shocking sexual harassment claims, the lawsuit also accused Alderson of condoning and partaking in the open consumption of illegal drugs. Phillipa says she had discovered several baggies of weed in the work premises and reported it to her senior. Apparently, they just laughed at her for having brought it up.
As it so happens, Phillipa had to move to California and her manager had arranged for her to work remotely and still be employed with the firm. However, after a few weeks, she claims that Alderson had instructed her manager to fire her. Phillipa contends that the termination of her contract was without any valid reasons.
When reached for comment, a spokesperson for deVere group flat out denied all allegations. He labeled Phillipa as a disgruntled former employee who was just trying to avenge her termination, he maintained that the termination itself was legitimate and not without reason. The deVere group is expected to fiercely fight the allegations in court.
If you believe you have a case that may go the distance, you need to contact a sexual harassment attorney that has the stamina to fight it out against stiff opposition. This is where the site USAttorneys.com comes into the picture – they have golden local lawyers ready take your case against the other side that is in the wrong and should be called out on it.
Sandy Galef’s anti sexual harassment bill passes state assembly vote
According to an Ossining Daily Voice report, a bill proposed by assemblywoman Sandy Galef (D-Ossining) has gotten the nod from the rest of the Assembly and it set to take effect from 90 days after being signed. According to New York sexual harassment attorneys, Galef’s bill is aimed at employers who have four or lesser employees.
Up until now, such employers could not be sued for sexual harassment in the workplace as they did not technically classify as an employer unless they had more than four employees, however, Galef’s new legislation is set to close this loophole in the law. It will allow employees and their New York sexual harassment attorneys to file lawsuits against any employer irrespective of how many people the employ in total.
Too bad the state of New York does not pay more attention to political corruption and high taxes which both are ruining that state.
