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A federal judge has ruled that a lawsuit filed by former cameraman Emilio Garcia against Megan Thee Stallion will proceed, denying her team’s attempt to dismiss the case. Garcia’s complaint, filed in April 2024, accuses the rapper of creating a hostile workplace environment, engaging in discrimination and retaliation which are allegations substantial enough for the court to allow them to move forward.
The lawsuit stems from Garcia’s tenure with Megan, spanning 2018 to 2023. Central to the allegations is a purported incident in Ibiza, Spain, during a 2022 business trip. Garcia asserts that Megan engaged in a sexual act with another woman inside an SUV while he was present. He claims this moment, particularly as a gay man, was demeaning and constituted discrimination based on his sexual orientation.
Garcia’s filing also alleges that Megan subjected him to fat‑shaming, including using a remote control as a weapon by throwing it at him. When Garcia raised concerns about these behaviors, he alleges his work hours were cut, his pay reduced, and eventually he was dismissed. He further contends he was “black‑balled” within the industry afterward.
In denying the dismissal request, U.S. District Court Judge Gregory H. Woods stated that Garcia’s allegations sufficiently “plausibly plead” a hostile work environment tied to his sexual orientation. This stems from his assertion that Megan “would not have engaged in group sex with other women in front of a heterosexual male,” but acted as she allegedly did due to his being gay, an inference the judge found reasonable.
Judge Woods also acknowledged Garcia’s claims of retaliation, specifically the reduction in hours, salary, and eventual firing, as raising a plausible inference that he was punished for voicing his concerns.
Megan’s legal team strongly refutes the allegations. Attorney Alex Spiro characterized the lawsuit as baseless, a bid by Garcia “attempting to extort money” with “salacious accusations” lacking legal or factual basis. They maintain that the claims are false and without merit, and that no credible evidence supports them. After denying the motion to dismiss, Judge Woods also determined that the lawsuit and the claims it contains will proceed not only against Megan but also against Roc Nation, her record label and management company.
