Nightclubs, especially in New York City, have always had a somewhat sketchy reputation. Centers of hedonism, drug use, sex and good times, they are the play places for adults looking to get away from the stresses of life and enjoy music. Most are good and clean at the top, but others are rotten at varying degrees. Brooklyn nightclub Verboten stands accused of a variety of different charges that started with fraud and mismanagement in January and now on top of that one can add sexual assault and racism.
In a new report by the New York Daily News, 16 current and former employees of the club have filed a sexual harassment complaint against Verboten in Brooklyn Federal Court, accusing co-owner Jen Schiffer, 40, of spear-heading the unlawful conduct.
According to the papers, Schiffer, "discusses her sex life - including her favorite sexual positions and sexual encounters with her husband, John Perez, and other women," with other employees.
One worker, Dylan Schwartz, 24, described as Schiffer's boyfriend in the documents, also allegedly made some lude propositions to other employees.
He allegedly said to a female employee, "Are you having a bad day? You should let me f--- you."
Schwartz is not named in the class action suit and Schiffer denies the affair.
There are more damaging accusations in the suit though. It alleges that Schiffer got angry when an employee booked a party attended by black people.
"What are all these black people doing here? You cannot book a black-people party!" she allegedly said.
This new suit makes for a pretty terrible year for the club that opened up to fanfare and rave reviews in 2014. It is also being accused by former partners and investors of fraud and mismanaging funds since they opened the club according to documents obtained by Thump. The owners deny all of the claims.
