Woman Says Business Deal Gone Bad|Led to Coerced Sexual Intercourse

JACKSONVILLE (CN) - A Florida couple who defaulted on a $2 million business loan say the man appointed to take over their company sent the husband out of state and then demanded sex from the wife. The wife says she vomited after the forced sex, while the new boss told her to "grow a backbone."

Mary L. and her husband ran their eyewear business for a decade before borrowing the money from defendant Ravinia Funding LLC. When they defaulted on the loan, they say, defendant Ronald Grey was appointed Chief Operating Officer of their former company, defendant Avada Eyewear LLC.

Then, according to the complaint, "Grey began a purposeful, focused and sustained effort to destroy the marriage of Mary [L.] and John [L.] in an effort to engage in sexual intercourse with Mary [L.]"

Mary L. says Grey reassigned her husband from Florida to California, and immediately began harassing her, racially and sexually. She says Grey struck her on the buttocks and made comments such as, "Mexicans are supposed to do labor work, not mind work," and, "Mexicans are worthless."

She says Grey "placed female underwear on his head and danced about the office" in front of her.

She says he sent pornography to her computer and a text message of roses with romantic music to her cell phone. He told her she wore "granny panties" and bought a bikini for her, the plaintiff says.

She claims that when she complained and asked that her husband be returned to Florida, Grey told her that she would have to work from his home office and that he would bring back her husband in exchange for sexual intercourse.

She says Grey penetrated her with his penis and requested oral sex. She says she refused and cried while Grey masturbated. She says that while she was in the bathroom vomiting, Grey stood outside the door and told her to "grow a backbone," and that when she told him she would seek spiritual counseling from her priest, Grey told her, "All a priest will do is tell you to say a couple of Hail Marys."

She demands punitive damages. She is represented in Duval County Court by John Webb and Samantha Giudici with Harper Gerlach.

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