Bassnectar Accused of Sex Trafficking, Possessing Child Pornography in Lawsuit

Bassnectar is being accused of having engaged in human trafficking and the sexual abuse of minors [...]

Bassnectar is being accused of having engaged in human trafficking and the sexual abuse of minors in a new lawsuit as well as manufacturing and possessing child pornography. The allegations against the producer and DJ, real name Lorin Ashton, were filed in a lawsuit by Philadelphia attorneys Brian Kent, Stewart Ryan and Alexandria MacMaster of law firm Laffey, Bucci & Kent, along with Nashville attorney Phillip Miller, on behalf of clients identified as Rachel and Alexis.

Rachel and Alexis allege they were "sexually abused as minors" by Ashton. "This lawsuit is about seeking justice not just against Bassnectar but against the corporations that cooperate in and help facilitate the abuses he is alleged to have committed," said Brian Kent, one of the attorneys representing Rachel and Alexis, in a statement. According to the lawsuit, after first contacting the underage girls via DM and learning their age, the DJ allegedly provided tickets to his show and invited them back to his hotel room for sex. The allegations level that he would continue to pay the young girls between $300 and $1,600 for sex as well as their keeping a secret about the relationship.

In court documents obtained by TMZ, Rachel claimed she was first contacted by Ashton in 2012 and began having sex with him in May 2013 while she was still underage. She added that the musician groomed her to "take and send sexually explicit photographs of herself while naked." Alexis claimed she was contacted by Ashton in 2014, and that he had sex with her numerous times between 2014 and 2016 while she was underage.

Ashton has yet to comment publicly on the lawsuit, but announced in July 2020 that he would be "stepping back" from music after numerous claims of sexual misconduct surfaced against him, some of which involved girls who were allegedly underage. In a statement at the time, Ashton said he would be "stepping down from my position of power and privilege in this community because I want to take responsibility and accountability." He continued that he felt "intense compassion for anyone I may have hurt," and added, "I truly hope you allow me a chance to work together toward healing." He also denied the accusations made against him during that statement, writing, "The rumors you are hearing are untrue, but I realize some of my past actions have caused pain, and I am deeply sorry."

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