NEW ORLEANS — Believing that she was maliciously targeted for filing a sexual harassment claim, Tiffany Roberts and her children filed a complaint on Oct. 10 asking the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District State of Louisiana for relief for suffering and emotional distress.
Tiffany Roberts was employed at Aesthetic Surgical Associates LLC by Dr. Stephen Metzinger, where she filed a complaint against Metzinger in January 2015 with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleging sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment.
Roberts was fired from her job shortly after the complaint to the commission on Jan. 12, 2015. She believes she was fired because she complained about being sexually harassed by Metzinger.
After being terminated, Roberts alleges that Metzinger made malicious false statements to the Jefferson County Parish Sheriff's Office and District Attorney from February 2015 until June 2018 accusing her of wrongfully using her company credit card, unethical procedures, theft, improper accounting and possession of drugs. Additionally, the complaint states that Metzinger also pressured the attorney's office to file charges for a civil suit encompassing the alleged false statements against Roberts, for which she was jailed in 2018 without probable cause.
As a result, Roberts contends that she accrued debt by traveling to defend herself, paid babysitting fees, lost work and lost wages. She also believes that because she lost work opportunities, this caused her to default on two home mortgages.
Roberts says she and her children suffered embarrassment and emotional distress due to the intentional false accusations, according to the complaint. She also believes significant harm to her reputation was done.
Roberts is asking the court for financial relief for the costs of the court proceedings and compensation for damages.
Roberts is being represented by Venezia & Associates of New Orleans.