Kimberly Goesling is now suing American Airlines, claiming the airline “retaliated against her.” The airline says it severed business ties with Sargeant and that Goesling remains a "valued member of our team."
Celebrity chef Mark Sargeant has been accused of sexual assault by an American Airlines flight attendant. Kimberly Goesling says she and several coworkers met Sargeant, who is a protégé of Gordon Ramsay, when he was hired by the airline to create a menu for their international first class service.
“We all had dinner, talking about elements we liked, didn’t like. It was jovial. It seemed normal,” Goesling told Inside Edition.
Following the business dinner, Goesling says Sargeant started texting her, suggesting they meet up for a drink. She says she ignored the messages. Later that night, Goesling alleges a drunk Sargeant knocked on the door, waking her from sleep. She says Sargeant “forced his way through the door ... grabbed her in a choke-hold position” and sexually assaulted her.
“I thought I could just forget about it. And as the days went on, I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t eat,” Goesling said.
Goesling sued Sargeant and reached an out-of-court settlement.
Sargeant says in a statement, “While I do not recognize Ms. Goesling’s version of events, I whole-heartedly apologize for the indignity of my behavior that night.”
Now Goesling is suing American Airlines, claiming Sargeant was served “excessive amounts of alcohol” the night of the attack and that the airline “retaliated against her.”
In a statement, the airline told Inside Edition, “We severed our business relationship with the accused individual … Ms. Goesling remains a valued member of our team.”
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