Tech CEO accused of forcing ex-assistant to be his 'sex slave' claims Hollywood ... trends now
An ex-tech CEO accused of forcing his assistant into a 'slave contract' that saw her sex trafficked around the world has claimed the accusations only surfaced after a powerful lawyer attempted to extort him for $10million.
Christian Lanng, the 45-year-old who left Silicon Valley's Tradeshift in September of last year when the allegations surfaced, made the claims in a countersuit filed Tuesday in Northern California District Court.
The suit cites text messages sent from high-profile Hollywood attorney Bryan Freedman to Lanng in September 2023 as supposed proof of the alleged extortion plot.
A month before, the lawyer - who's represented the likes of Don Lemon and Bethenny Frankel - appeared on TMZ, touting up a copy of a document emblazoned with the phrase 'slave contract'.
The document had names on it redacted, and was produced as Freedman spoke about a separate case. Lanng's lawyers, however, claim the display was 'a clear threat to counterclaimant,' one made before the alleged extortion attempt.
Langg says the lawyer threatened to leak the story to TMZ if the sum was not paid.
Fallen San Francisco CEO Christian Lanngcall allegedly made a woman call him 'Master' while trafficking her around the world. He stepped down in October when the allegations surfaced, and says the claims only came when he refused to play ball with a lawyer handling the case
Enter high-profile Hollywood attorney Bryan Freedman, who appeared on TMZ back in August touting a document emblazoned with the phrase 'slave contract'. Lanng's lawyers claim the display was 'a clear threat to counterclaimant,' one made before an outright extortion attempt
'I have been asked by a major media outlet if you would appear to explain your side of the story this week in conjunction with the claims being filed,' Freedman told Lanng in a September 4 text, introducing himself as the counsel representing the woman who filed the initial suit exactly a month after the TMZ clip aired.
