Kanye West sued for alleged assault, strangulation by 'America's Next Top Model' alum
Warning: This article includes mention of sexual assault.
Kanye West is being sued by Jenn An, a former America's Next Top Model contestant, for allegedly sexually assaulting and choking her while shooting for a music video in 2010.
In a lawsuit obtained by several entertainment outlets including Page Six, the model said the alleged incident took place on the set for La Roux's In for the Kill music video in a suite at the Chelsea Hotel in New York City.
She claimed that West picked her to be in the background, saying, "Give me the Asian Girl."
An responded by saying "I'm not wearing very much," to which West purportedly answered with, "That's why I chose you," before ordering the other background actors to leave.
According to the suit, West began to allegedly strangle her with both hands and "rammed several fingers down her throat," gagging her for more than a minute. An claimed that the rapper screamed, "This is art. This is f*****g art. I am like Picasso," while he assaulted her.
"The Plaintiff struggled to breathe and felt as if she had temporarily blacked out. When defendant West decided he was finished with plaintiff, her face was covered in saliva and smeared makeup," the suit said.
Universal Media Group was named in the suit as a defendant and was said to have found West "too profitable for the label to intervene, despite his unlawful conduct."
An said that the Donda rapper violated New York's Gender Motivated Violence Act. She is seeking a trial by jury for punitive damages, attorney costs, and "damages for mental, emotional and physical injury, distress, pain and suffering, and injury to reputation."
The final version of the music video did not feature An and West.
An competed in the 13th season of America's Next Top Model and finished in third place. She has appeared in TV shows like The Mindy Project, How I Met Your Father, and Criminal Minds.
