A yoga teacher has filed a lawsuit against Manouso Manos and the B.K.S. Iyengar Yoga National Association US (IYNAUS) alleging defamation and mishandling of her sexual assault claims.
The lawsuit, filed by plaintiff Ann West in San Francisco County Superior Court of California, on Dec. 19, accuses the defendants of conducting a sham investigation into her allegations made in 2018 against Manos, a prominent Iyengar yoga teacher.
West alleges that instead of supporting her, IYNAUS allegedly cleared Manos of wrongdoing and allegedly circulated false statements about her to discredit her allegations.
According to the complaint, it allegedly was only after public outcry that an independent investigator allegedly substantiated West's claims and allegedly found that Manos had molested multiple women over several decades.
The plaintiff is seeking economic and general damages, punitive damages, equitable and injunctive relief, and reimbursement of reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs.
The plaintiff is represented by attorneys Dustin L. Collier, Joshua Socks, Elizabeth R. Malay and Drew F. Teti, of the firm of Collier Socks, of Corte Madera.