Worcester landlord, employee to pay $75K to settle tenants' sexual harrassment claims
Courtesy | City of Worcester
A rental proerty on West Street in Worcester
A Worcester landlord and his employee have agreed to resolve sexual harassment allegations and will be barred from participating in property management responsibilities going forward, according to a Tuesday report from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts.
The landlord, Mohan Prashad, and his employee, David Besaw, were involved in a 2019 lawsuilt alleging they violated the Fair Housing Act by sexually harassing female tenants.
The lawsuit said since 2009 Prashad subjected tenants to unwelcome sexual advances and comments, unscheduled visits to certain units without legitimate property management reasons, and retaliating against tenants who resisted his sexual actions. One tenant alleged Prashad filed an eviction action against her after she reported his employee for harassment.
His employee, Besaw, was alleged to have harassed and assaulted tenants, according to the U.S. Attorney.
Under a consent decree, Prashad and Besaw must pay the affected tenants $65,000, and pay a $10,000 civil penalty. The two defendants' property management responsibilities will be turned over to an independent manager, and they will be barred from participating in future management at residential rental properties.
Prashad owns properties on West Street, Austin Street, and Main Street in Worcester, according to the Worcester South District Registry of Deeds.
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