WENATCHEE, Wash. — A jury found a veterans nonprofit and its founder and CEO liable for sexually harassing 12 women.
The jury ordered the defendants to pay almost $1.5 million to the victims as a result of the lawsuit.
The office of Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson said Thelbert “Thad” Lawson Jr. discriminated against and harassed 12 women who participated at the Operation Veterans Assistance & Humanitarian Aid’s two thrift stores: the Veterans Warehouse Thrift Store in Wenatchee and the Veterans Thrift Store in Kennewick.
Ferguson said the harassment included "offensive and unwanted touching, sexually charged remarks and inappropriate requests for sex," saying Lawson also retaliated against employees who tried to complain.
The attorney general's office also said that Lawson harassed five members of the public, including store volunteers and shoppers at the two stores.
Lawson was found guilty of assault in 2021 for "grinding his body on a member of the public without her consent," and he spent 75 days in jail.
Ferguson's office filed the lawsuit in February 2022.
“What happened at OVAHA is repulsive, inexcusable and illegal,” Ferguson said. “I want to thank the workers, volunteers, and members of the public for their courage in speaking up. My team fought for them, and together, we won.”
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