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Woman Accuses Wisconsin Billionaire Of Assault

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A second woman has accused Racine billionaire Samuel Curtis Johnson III of sexual assault.

The woman filed a civil lawsuit in Racine County in July alleging Johnson sexually assaulted her several times while she was on vacation with Johnson's family in Mexico and the Bahamas and while she was at Johnson's home between March 2007 and July 2009.

The lawsuit said the woman, who lives in California, was a minor during the assaults but has since become an adult. It said Johnson inflicted so much psychological and emotional distress that she will need mental health treatment and counseling "on a permanent basis."

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and attorney fees.

Johnson's attorney, Michael F. Hart, said the lawsuit was just recently served on Johnson. He called the allegations baseless, saying the woman tried to convince the Racine County district attorney to charge Johnson in 2011 but he refused.

"Unfortunately these types of spurious allegations are not uncommon in cases involving high net-worth individuals. Her claims are unequivocally and demonstrably false," Hart said.

The Associated Press left a message seeking comment from the Racine County district attorney's office late Monday afternoon.

The 59-year-old Johnson's family has run home-products giant SC Johnson for five generations. He worked for the company decades ago but has had no formal relationship with it for years.

He pleaded guilty in June to a misdemeanor charge of fourth-degree sexual assault after a girl accused him of having inappropriate sexual contact with her 15 to 20 times starting the summer after she finished sixth grade. Johnson was sentenced to four months in jail and fined $6,000.

(© Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

 

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