A former bartender at Soho House’s exclusive Soho Warehouse in downtown Los Angeles has filed a lawsuit alleging she was drugged and raped by her supervisor, according to a complaint filed Wednesday in California Superior Court. Jane Doe, as she is identified in the suit, alleges repeated sexual harassment and assault by Leonard Marcelo Vichique Maya, a supervisor at the members-only club’s Berenjak restaurant.
The lawsuit details a pattern of alleged misconduct beginning in September 2025, shortly after Doe began working at Soho Warehouse. She claims Vichique Maya subjected her to “repeated sexual advances and unwelcome physical touching.” According to the complaint, Vichique Maya made numerous comments about Doe’s appearance, propositioned her to be his “hook-up buddy,” and made disturbing statements about her future, all within earshot of colleagues.
Doe reported Vichique Maya’s behavior to two male supervisors – the floor manager and food and beverage director – within two weeks of starting her job, but claims no corrective action was taken. The suit alleges that despite these complaints, Vichique Maya’s behavior escalated, culminating in an incident following a “team-bonding” event on September 13th. Doe claims she became disoriented after drinking with supervisors and coworkers, lost consciousness, and awoke naked in Vichique Maya’s apartment.
The complaint states, “Paralyzed and speechless despite her consciousness slowly returning, Plaintiff was condemned to simply watch in horror as [sic] MARCELO repeatedly raped her inanimate body.” The following day, Doe reported the alleged assault to her floor manager, who, according to the suit, responded by saying, “These things happen between coworkers.” When Doe stated she could no longer work with Vichique Maya, the general manager allegedly dismissed her concerns, stating, “I have a restaurant to run; I can’t have it blow up on me.”
Despite informing three managers about the alleged rape, Doe claims she was repeatedly scheduled to work shifts with Vichique Maya, during which she continued to experience sexual harassment. In December, Doe filed a complaint with Soho House human resources, and was told an investigation would be opened with “immediate corrective action.” However, she was subsequently placed on indefinite leave while Vichique Maya continued to work. A month later, the company informed Doe that its investigation found her report of rape “was uncorroborated” and that Vichique Maya would not be disciplined. Doe ultimately resigned from her position in February.
Soho House, a global club chain with 48 locations in 19 countries, debuted in London in 1995 and has turn into a popular destination for celebrities and affluent individuals. The company faced financial challenges in 2021, filing for an initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange before ultimately going private in a $2.7-billion deal with investors including Apollo Global Management and actor Ashton Kutcher, who joined its board of directors.
Representatives for Soho House and Vichique Maya were not immediately available for comment. Doe is represented by Nick Yasman of Los Angeles-based West Coast Trial Lawyers, who stated, “This is as egregious an instance of callous corporate indifference to workplace sexual violence that anyone can experience.” The case, Doe v. Soho House & Co Inc, is currently unfiled in California Superior Court, Los Angeles County.
