Another married CEO accused in concert scandal; ‘kissed and molested’ manager at Timberlake show | Trending

Asad Malik, the CEO of Amerilodge Group, has been accused of sexual harassment, assault, and battery his former employee, Stephanie Starling. In a lawsuit, the manager said that Malik ‘groped and kissed’ her during a Justin Timberlake concert back in February. The CEO or the Amerilodge Group have not issued a public statement yet. Justin Timberlake performs at the 2025 BottleRock Napa Valley (Amy Harris/Invision/AP) Starling, in the lawsuit, alleges that Malik told her that he wanted a kiss during the concert. “I bet it would be a good kiss too. Probably later tonight,” he allegedly said. The lawsuit further adds that the former employee laughed nervously, but Malik kept on pursuing her. She alleged that he later told her that he was ‘just looking at her lips’ and thinking of the kiss. Stephanie Starling reached out to her supervisor and pleaded for them not to leave her side. However, Malik allegedly managed to get into the same booth and ‘slid his hand under her right thigh and touched her butt’. Starling’s Terrifying Encounter at Justin Timberlake Concert Leads to Job Loss Allegations Visibly trembling with fear after the encounter, she escaped to the bathroom, where she called her father in tears, pleading against police involvement. Her general manager and supervisor, overhearing the call, vowed to report Malik’s behavior, as per the lawsuit. At the concert, Malik reportedly tried to seat himself next to Starling, growing visibly angry when her general manager intervened. Later, at a near hotel, Malik allegedly coerced her into his vehicle under the pretense of needing to talk, driving to a dark area, and demanding a kiss. Starling’s rejection allegedly fueled his agitation, prompting her to demand a return to the hotel, threatening to walk through the snow if necessary. Back at work, she reported the incident to HR, but claims the company failed to follow up despite assigning a third-party investigation. Shortly after, her company email was revoked, and she was pressured to submit a resignation letter, Starling said. Less than a month later, HR upheld her ‘resignation’ citing an unsubstantiated investigation, while offering a settlement she labeled ‘hush money’, which she rejected. Her attorney, Jack Shulz, drew parallels to the viral Astronomer CEO Andrew ron case, criticizing HR’s alleged bias. “Both Starling and others reported immediately, yet HR protected the company, leading to her termination for speaking up,” he told Daily Mail. Amerilodge’s spokesperson, Chris Daly, declined comment due to ongoing litigation, as per the Daily Mail. Malik denied the allegations, with no witnesses corroborating the assault.