The Keeping Up With the Kardashians clan of Kardashians and Jenners delivers plenty of drama to the small screen, but now veteran manager and matriarch Kris Jenner is the subject of a lawsuit. Jenner has been accused of sexual harassment by a former bodyguard who reportedly worked for the family starting back in 2017.
According to court documents (via The Blast), the African American former bodyguard for Kris Jenner and Kourtney Kardashian (who left Keeping Up With the Kardashians due to a "toxic environment") has filed a lawsuit against Jenner for alleged sexual harassment, a hostile work environment, racial discrimination, and gender discrimination after working for the Kardashian family from May 2017 until he was fired in September 2018.
The man (who the Kardashian lawyer identified as Marc McWilliams) alleges that Kris Jenner made comments of a sexual nature, regarding his physical appearances, regarding his sexual activities, suggesting that he engage in a sexual relationship, and regarding the appearances and sexual activities of employees in addition to himself.
As for unwanted physical contact, the man claims that she massaged him without consent, rested her hand on his thigh and groin, touched him without consent, and suggestively exposed herself. Despite allegedly informing Kris Jenner that her behavior was unwelcome, the HR department became involved, with no action ultimately taken.
The man who filed the suit alleges that he faced retaliation for his complaints, resulting in attacks on his character and job performance. He alleges that he was also suspended from working with Kris Jenner. His work on security for Jenner’s daughter, Kourtney Kardashian, reportedly continued. Furthermore, he claims that he was discriminated against based on race, including “mockery, harassment, belittling, and otherwise humiliating mistreatment."
The lawsuit states that the man experienced “severe and permanent pain and suffering,” as well as a “severe shock and injury to the nervous system.” Marty Singer, lawyer for the Kardashians, responded to the lawsuit with a statement categorically denying the accusations and revealing that Kris Jenner and Kourtney Kardashian intend to sue the man. The statement says:
Kris Jenner and Kourtney Kardashian vehemently deny the absurd claims as completely fabricated and false fiction without a scrap of truth to them. Kris categorically denies ever behaving inappropriately toward Marc McWilliams. The security guard worked outside the house and he never even went into Kris’s house. Furthermore, Kris had very little interaction with him. After the guard was repeatedly caught sleeping in his car while on the job, the security company was asked not to assign him to work there in the future. Significantly, the guard never made any complaints to his employer about Kris until contriving this ludicrous claim. Although Kourtney is named in the suit, she is not accused of doing anything improper with the guard, nor did she do so. It is outrageous that anyone can sue anyone in America and believe there is no recourse when pursuing fictional and meritless claims. When Kris and Kourtney defeat this ridiculous, frivolous lawsuit they intend to immediately sue McWilliams and his attorneys for malicious prosecution.
The lawsuit against Kris Jenner does not name a figure for damages that the former bodyguard is seeking. Only time will tell how the lawsuit progresses, as well as how and when Jenner and Kourtney Kardashian file suits of their own. The lawsuit was filed just as the latest season of Keeping Up With the Kardashians debuted on E!, and shortly after news broke that the show will be ending.
New episodes of Keeping Up With the Kardashians air Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on E!. For more viewing options, check out our 2020 fall TV premiere schedule.
