Tyler Perry is seeking to have a $77 million sexual assault and battery lawsuit against him thrown out, describing the claims as baseless and financially motivated.
Court filings obtained by TMZ show that Perry calls the allegations made by model and actor Mario Rodriguez “outlandish falsehoods that have no basis in fact or law and no merit.” According to the documents, Perry alleges Rodriguez repeatedly requested financial assistance after being cast in what Perry describes as a minor role in the 2016 film Boo! A Madea Halloween.
Perry claims Rodriguez asked for money for expenses including a car, apartment, medical services, and unpaid bills, and that when he stopped providing support, Rodriguez fabricated allegations that their interactions were nonconsensual.
Rodriguez’s lawsuit accuses Perry of making unwanted advances and engaging in inappropriate conduct, alleging that Perry groped him after filming wrapped. Perry denies all allegations and is asking the court to dismiss the complaint entirely, requesting that Rodriguez be awarded nothing. The case is ongoing.
