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Renowned Obama portraitist Kehinde Wiley accused of groping up-and-coming artist

Renowned Obama portraitist Kehinde Wiley accused of groping up-and-coming artist

Yahoo28-02-2025

Kehinde Wiley, the renowned American painter behind the official portrait of President Barack Obama hanging in the Smithsonian, is facing accusations that he sexually assaulted an up-and-coming artist nearly two decades ago.
In a lawsuit filed Friday and obtained by The Independent, Ogechi Chieke says she met the star portraitist at a 2007 art show and was 'flattered' by his interest in her work.
After the show, Chieke and Wiley both attended a dinner at a nearby restaurant, her complaint states. While they were waiting to be seated, the complaint alleges Wiley 'began to press his chest against Ms. Chieke's chest,' after which he 'proceeded to grab Ms. Chieke's buttocks with both hands and pulled her closer to him.'
'Wiley then forcibly grabbed her vagina – causing her severe pain – and whispered that he 'would lick that p***y so clean,'' according to the complaint.
Chieke, the complaint goes on, was 'offended and distraught' by this, and left the restaurant before dinner.
'Additionally, Ms. Chieke was so traumatized from being sexually assaulted by Wiley that, within a month, she uprooted her life in New York and relocated to California,' the complaint contends. 'Ms. Chieke also stopped working in fine art, causing her significant income, due to the trauma inflicted upon her by Wiley.'
The alleged attack occurred in New York City, Chieke's attorney, Reyna Lubin, told The Independent.
'Mr. Wiley's actions violated the law and Ms. Chieke's civil rights, and we look forward to pursuing justice for our client,' Lubin said in an emailed statement.
Wiley's attorney Jennifer Barrett said on Friday that he was traveling but that she reached out to him to discuss a response following The Independent's request for comment.
The case was filed under the Gender Motivated Violence Act, a New York City statute allowing survivors of sexual assault to bring civil claims against their alleged attackers that otherwise would be time-barred by the statute of limitations. It provides a so-called lookback window that opened on March 1, 2023, and will close on Saturday.
Wiley, who identifies as gay but said he has 'occasionally drifted,' has faced similar accusations before. In an Instagram post last year, British-born Ghanaian artist Joseph Awuah-Darko claimed Wiley grabbed his buttocks during a 2021 dinner held in Wiley's honor, then later that evening assaulted him in a way that was 'much more severe and violent.' He didn't provide further details on social media, but told The New York Times that the second incident began as a consensual encounter that turned ugly when Wiley forced himself on him.
The alleged attack 'almost destroyed me,' Awuah-Darko wrote in his online post.
Wiley flatly denied any wrongdoing, posting in response, 'Someone I had a brief, consensual relationship with almost three years ago is now making a false accusation about our time together. These claims are not true and are an affront to all victims of sexual abuse.'
He claimed to have 'no idea why' Awuah-Darko made such an allegation, 'particularly when there is a litany of evidence showing his claims are false – but I hope he gets the help he needs for whatever he is going through. I kindly ask for privacy as I work to clear my name.'
Lawyers for Wiley shared a cease-and-desist letter with CNN that demanded Awuah-Darko delete the 'categorically false and defamatory' post, calling the assertions 'malicious' and accusing Awuah-Darko of capitalizing on Wiley's fame for 'financial gain and attention.' (Awuah-Darko's post is still up, as of Friday.)
Wiley has faced similar allegations in the past, with at least three others who also went public with claims of sexual assault by the acclaimed portraitist. Activist Derrick Ingram said last year that Wiley raped him at his Soho apartment in 2021; filmmaker Nathaniel Lloyd Richards accused Wiley of touching him inappropriately during a date in 2019; and, in a now-deleted Instagram post, photographer Terrell Armistead claimed he fell asleep at Wiley's residence following a night out, then woke up to find Wiley performing oral sex on him.
At the time, Barrett, Wiley's lawyer, contended the claims were part of a 'scurrilous campaign' launched by Awuah-Darko 'to support his vendetta and build his fake case.'
For her part, Chieke's complaint says Wiley's 'violent sexual assaults' have caused her severe psychological and emotional distress. She is asking for compensatory, nominal, punitive, and exemplary damages to be determined by a jury, plus attorneys' fees.

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Brian Wilson, Beach Boys Co-Founder and Architect of Pop, Dead at 82
Brian Wilson, Beach Boys Co-Founder and Architect of Pop, Dead at 82

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Brian Wilson, Beach Boys Co-Founder and Architect of Pop, Dead at 82

Brian Wilson, who as leader of the Beach Boys and a founder of California rock invented a massively successful pop sound full of harmonies and sunshine, has died at the age of 82. 'We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away. We are at a loss for words right now,' his family wrote in a statement posted on social media. 'Please respect our privacy at this time as our family is grieving. We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world.' More from Rolling Stone Questlove, Clairo, Earthgang, and More Remember Sly Stone: He 'Was a Giant' Billy Jones, Baby's All Right Owner and Key Player in New York Music Scene, Dead at 45 Sly Stone, Family Stone Architect Who Fused Funk, Rock, and Soul, Dead at 82 Wilson's family did not provide a cause of death, but it was revealed in February 2024 that the Beach Boys legend was battling dementia. 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Ananda Lewis, Former MTV VJ and Talk Show Host, Dies at 52
Ananda Lewis, Former MTV VJ and Talk Show Host, Dies at 52

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Ananda Lewis, Former MTV VJ and Talk Show Host, Dies at 52

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Immigration raids have shaken communities across Los Angeles County. How can you help?
Immigration raids have shaken communities across Los Angeles County. How can you help?

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Immigration raids have shaken communities across Los Angeles County. How can you help?

If you are looking to support families that have been affected by the recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids as well as local immigrant communities in need, you have a number of donation options, including organizations that can accept monetary contributions, supplies and volunteer time. The ICE raids over the past several days have impacted several communities in Los Angeles County, including the city of Los Angeles, Paramount, Culver City and Boyle Heights. It's unclear exactly how many undocumented immigrants have been affected, but the White House said federal agents have arrested 330 immigrants in Southern California and the Central Coast since the onset of the raids on Friday. Among those deported during the raids was Jose Ortiz, who worked for Ambiance Apparel, a warehouse in Los Angeles' Fashion District, for the last 18 years. On Sunday, Jesus Cruz, 52, was detained while he was working as a cleaner at Westchester Hand Wash. Further up the coast, ICE agents had reportedly shown up at farm fields and packinghouses from the Central Coast to the San Joaquin Valley. The Department of Homeland Security released a list of nine men who the federal agency said were arrested and have serious criminal records. Since the raids began on Friday, several local and regional organizations began collecting funds and donated items to help those whose family members have been detained or already deported. The aid is also going to immigrant community members who live in fear of being swept up in future raids. This story will be updated as more organizations post their needs for support. Read more: Immigration raids roil L.A., dozens of people detained. What we know so far What it does: The YMCA is providing care and connections to protect children, youth and community members through distribution of food, supplies and free mental health support. The New American Welcome Center helps immigrants "fully integrate into American society and prepare receiving communities to be welcoming and inclusive." How you can help: You can volunteer your time at a participating YMCA location by sending an email to volunteer@ Several YMCA locations are also accepting nonperishable food items (canned goods, rice, pasta), personal hygiene items and household essentials (toilet paper, laundry detergent, cleaning supplies), as well as baby and children's items (formula, diapers, wipes and snacks). Donation drop-off sites: Anderson Munger: 4301 West 3rd St., Los Angeles, CA 90020 Stuart M. Ketchum-Downtown: 401 S. Hope St., Los Angeles, CA 90071-1900 Mid Valley Family: 6901 Lennoz Ave., Van Nuys, CA 91405-4093 Southeast-Rio Vista: 4801 E. 58th St., Maywood, CA 90270 Weingart East Los Angeles: 2900 Whittier Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90023 Wilmington: 1127 N Avalon Blvd., Wilmington, CA 90744 What it does: Órale is currently providing its immigrant community members in Long Beach with legal resources and bagged groceries with further resources to be added in the coming days. In 2018, during the Trump administration's first term, the organization advocated for the city of Long Beach to open the Long Beach Justice Fund, which funded pro bono legal representation for undocumented Long Beach residents who were facing deportation orders. The fund supported legal assistance for 40 Long Beach residents. Órale is asking the city of Long Beach to reinvest in the program. How you can help: You can support the organization's efforts by making a monetary donation online. What it does: The Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project currently has staff on-hand to take calls from those who have been arrested and detained at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center and the Desert View Annex. In collaboration with LA Rapid Response Network, the organization is providing legal services including pro bono representation, language translation services and referrals for bond payment for those who have been arrested and detained. How you can help: You can make an online monetary donation in the amount of your choice to support the organization's efforts. Read more: What businesses are the feds targeting during L.A. immigration sweeps? Here's what we know What it does: Not Us Without You is a grassroots charity aimed at providing food relief to undocumented hospitality workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their work has continued since and now provides food security for 500 families monthly. How you can help: The organization is currently asking for local restaurant owners or chefs to donate a meal to support families of mixed status that are in need and possibly aren't leaving their homes out of fear of being picked up by ICE agents. Interested restaurant partners can directly message Not Us Without You's Instagram account or fill out this online contact form. For those not in the restaurant industry looking to support the organization's efforts, you can make a monetary donation online. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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