'Love is Blind' Creator Addresses Alleged Misconduct Lawsuit
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Love is Blind season 5
Love is Blind creator Chris Coelen has responded to season 5 contestant Tran Dang's claims that she was assaulted by Thomas Smith while filming in Mexico, and barred from leaving her room in the aftermath.
In a statement shared with People, Coelen said Dang, who filed a lawsuit against the producers for the alleged incident, "never told [crew members] that she felt unsafe or experienced any of the allegations that she made."
He added, "If anybody ever came to us and said they felt unsafe in any way, we would immediately remove them from the experiment and talk to them, and try to get to the bottom of it. Unfortunately, in this case, that kind of sentiment was never addressed to us in any way, nor was any alleged wrongdoing brought to our attention ever."
Kinetic Content, LLC and Delirium TV, LLC, the production companies behind the series, also shared a statement.
"We support and stand with victims of sexual assault, but Ms. Dang's claims against the producers are meritless. We document the independent choices of adults who volunteer to participate in a social experiment," the statement read. "Their journey is not scripted, nor is it filmed around the clock. We have no knowledge or control over what occurs in private living spaces when not filming, and participants may choose to end their journey at any time."
Kinetic additionally noted that it takes "any and all concerns of our participants seriously and prioritizes their well-being." The company also echoed Coelen's comments, saying that Dang "never informed the producers of any alleged wrongdoing of any kind. Nor did she choose to end her participation in the experiment. Instead, Ms. Dang continued in the experiment for weeks after the time her lawyers now claim an incident occurred."
In her lawsuit, Dang alleged that when she traveled to Mexico with her Love is Blind fiancé, he assaulted her while filming. In court documents obtained by TMZ, she claimed that he "incessantly groped" her, exposed himself, and "forcibly and repeatedly made sexual contact" without consent. She alleged that when she brought up concerns to producers, her allegations were "swept aside."
She additionally sued the producers for false imprisonment, stating that she was not allowed to leave her hotel room which made her "unable to exercise her will in going anywhere she was lawfully allowed to go." She sought $1 million in damages, claiming she suffered "extreme emotional distress, pain, mental anguish, and suffering."
Related: Which Love Is Blind Couples Are Still Together in 2023?
