‘Below Deck Sailing Yacht’ Sexual Assault Scandal Reemerges in New Lawsuit

Reality TV’s stormy waters just got choppier as crew members from a popular sailing show take legal action against a controversial cast member over disturbing allegations of misconduct.

Former Below Deck Sailing Yacht makeup artist Samantha Suarez and camera operator Grey Duddleston have filed a comprehensive lawsuit against series star Gary King, along with NBCUniversal, Bravo, production company 51 Minds, and additional entities, according to legal documents obtained by People.

The filing encompasses sixteen causes of action, including serious accusations of sexual battery, assault, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and emotional distress.

The complaint, filed in the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles on Feb. 25, details a disturbing incident allegedly occurring on July 3, 2022, during production of the show’s fourth season. Suarez claims that while delivering water and snacks to King’s hotel room at production’s request, the intoxicated reality personality refused to accept the items unless she entered his room.

According to Suarez’s account, after placing the items on a counter, King allegedly “grabbed her, held her restrained by her upper body and arms and pressed his entire body against her.” The lawsuit states she desperately attempted to escape, “kicking and elbowing King and screaming at him to get off of her.” Upon reaching the door, King allegedly used “his entire body weight” to force it shut, at which point Suarez reportedly “braced herself” believing she “was about to be raped,” according to People.

The situation allegedly deescalated only when Suarez received a phone call, after which King purportedly followed her into the hallway wearing only underwear, touching her shoulders and back while asking, “What’s wrong sweetie?” before eventually returning to his room at her insistence.

Suarez claims she immediately reported the incident to co-executive producer Ryan Veercamp and subsequently met with the leadership team. According to the complaint, showrunner Courtland Cox allegedly confirmed King had admitted to “everything” following a private conversation and issued him a warning that further misconduct would result in termination.

However, approximately two weeks later, Duddleston reportedly witnessed additional troubling behavior from King, including allegedly groping female crew members, removing a cast member’s swimsuit top without consent, making inappropriate comments to a female audio technician, and grabbing male camera operators’ genitals while intoxicated. When Duddleston reported these incidents over crew walkie-talkies, 51 Minds, and NBC allegedly investigated him rather than King’s behavior.

The lawsuit further alleges that Brenda Lacy Davis, head of human resources for 51 Minds’ parent company, Banijay America, and lead investigator in Suarez’s case, later reprimanded Suarez for discussing the incident and characterized additional accusations against King as “baseless.” Upon production’s conclusion, both plaintiffs allegedly discovered they had been placed on a “do not hire” list.

King has previously disputed Suarez’s assertions. Following an August 2023 Rolling Stone report detailing the allegations, he reportedly wrote in now-deleted Instagram comments that the accusations were “far from the truth,” suggesting Suarez “always wanted a platform” and he was the “unlucky target,” according to Us Weekly.

Bravo responded to the earlier reporting with a statement to Rolling Stone emphasizing its commitment to workplace safety through third-party production companies’ policies, trainings, and reporting processes. “The concerns Ms. Suarez raised in July 2022 were investigated at that time and action was taken based on the findings,” the network stated.

Suarez and Duddleston are seeking financial compensation for injuries and losses, alongside requests for civil penalties, punitive damages, attorney fees, and related costs from all defendants.