Garth Brooks Sued by Former Makeup Artist Alleging Rape, Sexual Assault

A hair and makeup artist who worked for Garth Brooks has filed a lawsuit against the country icon, accusing him of sexual harassment and abuse.

The plaintiff filed the lawsuit as “Jane Roe” in California state court on Oct. 3, according to documents obtained by PEOPLE. Brooks previously denied the allegations in a complaint filed under a “John Doe” with the intention of preventing her allegations from going public, according to the complaint.

In the lawsuit, Roe alleges that Brooks, 62, raped her, exposed his genitals and buttocks, openly talked about sex and related fantasies, changed clothes in her presence and sent sexually explicit text messages, all of which occurred during 2019.

“For the past two months, I have been endlessly bombarded with threats, lies and tragic stories about what my future would be like if I didn’t write a multi-million dollar check,” Brooks said in a statement to PEOPLE. “It was like waving a loaded gun in my face.” In my view, that means I’m admitting to behavior I’m incapable of—ugly acts that no human being should do to another,” the statement continued. “We filed a lawsuit against this person almost a month ago to speak out against extortion and defamation Filed we did it anonymously for the benefit of the families on both sides.” “I want to play music tonight,” Brooks said. “I want to continue our good works. It breaks my heart and wonderful things are at stake now. I trust the system, I’m not afraid of the truth and I’m not the person they portrayed me to be.”

Roe claims she began working for Brooks’ wife, Trisha Yearwood, in 1999 and was later hired to do makeup and hair for the “Friends in Low Places” singer in 2017, according to the documents; two years later, Roe claims, he became aware of Roe’s “financial difficulties” in 2019 and began employing her more frequently.

Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood at the ACM Awards in Frisco, Texas in May 2023.

SUZANNE CORDEIRO/AFP via Getty Images

Soon, according to the lawsuit, “Brooks took what he saw as an opportunity to subject the employee to a side of Brooks that he hides from the public. This side of Brooks believes he is entitled to sexual pleasure when he wants it, and it is fair game to use the employee to get it.”

On one occasion in 2019, according to the documents, Roe was ready to do Brooks’ hair and makeup when he allegedly emerged from the shower “naked, with an erection,” placed Roe’s hands on his penis and expressed his desire for her to “perform oral sex with him.” She claims that she was not engaged, but stayed to complete her work.

Prior to the May 2019 Sam Moore Grammy Awards taping, at which Brooks performed, Roe’s complaint alleges that she and the “Callin’ Baton Rouge” singer traveled alone to Los Angeles on his private jet, where “others usually were.”

Then, Roe claims, she was surprised to learn that Brooks had booked a one-bedroom hotel suite for both of them. Later, Brooks allegedly exposed his “completely naked” body to her in a hotel room while flexing his muscles.

Garth Brooks at the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, DC in May 2021. Paul Morigi/Getty

Roe claims Brooks raped her in a hotel suite, and she “couldn’t escape his physical dominance” because of their size difference. According to the documents, the experience “was painful and traumatic.”

“With Ms. Roe’s cold disregard, when Brooks finished, it was business as usual. Ms. Roe worked quickly to style his hair and make-up for the event so that he arrived on time,” her legal team wrote, also noting that after she felt pain in her neck and back.

After the alleged sexual assault, according to the lawsuit, “Brooks increased the frequency of speaking his sexual fantasies about her out loud, along with his physical groping of her breasts while she was doing his hair and makeup.”

Roe also alleges that Brooks claimed he had previously had sex with various women of different races in hotel rooms. He also asked her to have a “threesome” with Yearwood, the documents state, and Roe believes the “She’s in Love with the Boy” singer overheard his remarks at least once.

On another occasion in October 2019, according to the lawsuit, Roe claims Brooks tried to rape her again, but he had to leave for another engagement.

Roe claims Yearwood, 60, was present at a May 2020 conversation where Brooks commented on “inventing a shampoo bottle that doubles as a dildo,” after which Roe texted him to express her discomfort.

That same year, Roe claims she felt upset after learning Brooks had told Yearwood she saw his penis and texted him, to which he said she was “overthinking” the script.

A representative for Yearwood did not respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood perform in Atlanta in November 2023.

BRYNN ANDERSON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

She then tried to get Brooks to agree to no more sexual contact in order to continue working together, according to the documents. Brooks reportedly said they should “just hope no one ever finds out and just love each other and be friends.”

Roe claims they discussed whether or not to continue working together, but Brooks insisted they were “working together forever.”

During one work opportunity in 2020, according to the documents, Brooks allegedly took Roe’s phone and “deleted most of the sexually explicit text messages he had sent her.”

According to the lawsuit, Roe stopped working for Brooks and moved to Mississippi around May 2021.

More recently, Roe’s lawsuit alleges, Brooks’ legal team learned of her plans to file a lawsuit, so he first filed a preemptive lawsuit on Sept. 13 as a “John Doe” alleging that Roe “was a lying extortionist intent on destroying his professional reputation.”

According to the John Doe complaint, “[Roe’s] the allegations are not true. [Roe] is, however, aware of the significant, irreparable damage that such false claims would do to the claimant’s well-earned reputation as a decent and caring person, together with the inevitable harm to his family and the irreparable damage to his career and livelihood that would result if she carried out her threat that he would ‘publicly raise’ his trumped-up lawsuit. Indeed, such knowledge no doubt explains why [Roe] threatened to file suit via a ‘confidential’ demand letter rather than simply filing suit to remedy her alleged (but untrue) injuries.”

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.

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Source: HIS Education