Amerilodge CEO scandal:  Almost a month after Astronomer CEO Andy Byron was spotted on camera with his head of HR at a Coldplay concert, another senior corporate executive has been embroiled in scandal following claims of improper conduct at a music festival. Asad Malik, the married Chief Executive Officer of Amerilodge Group, is being sued by his ex-employee, hotel manager Stephanie Starling, who accused him of sexual harassment, groping, and coercion at a Justin Timberlake concert in February that took place at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan.

The suit, filed this month, alleges Malik not only made unwanted advances during the Timberlake performance but also purportedly retaliated against Starling after reporting his behavior to human resources. The suit coincides with increased scrutiny of workplace harassment scandals, as it mirrors the viral Coldplay CEO scandal centering on Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot.

Claims Of Concert Night

As court documents obtained by Daily Mail reveal, 38-year-old Starling claimed Malik began making suggestive remarks while at the concert, informing her he wished to kiss her. "I bet it would be a good kiss, too. Probably later tonight," he supposedly said. Despite her laughter, she had claimed Malik continued, averring that he was "just staring at her lips." The manager also claimed that Malik then stood beside her in the concert booth in spite of her entreaties to her supervisor not to abandon her. At the time, he allegedly placed his hand underneath her right thigh and touched her buttocks. After that, Starling reportedly fled to the restroom, where she called her father in tears, asking him not to involve the police. Her supervisor and general manager, who overheard the call, assured her they would report the matter.

The incidents go further than the Timberlake concert itself. The lawsuit states that afterward, at a nearby hotel, Malik forced Starling into his car under the guise of needing to "talk." Instead, he reportedly took her to an isolated spot, saying it was "time for that kiss." When she declined, his anger reportedly grew, causing her to insist on returning to the hotel, even threatening to trudge through the snow if need be. Starling reported immediately to the company's human resources department Malik's conduct, and was advised that a third-party investigation would be conducted. Weeks later, though, her access to her company email account was terminated, and she was allegedly coerced into submitting a resignation letter.

The suit alleges that less than a month thereafter, HR accepted her resignation on the grounds of an inconclusive investigation, finding no witnesses to corroborate her allegations. She was also, per Starling, offered a monetary settlement which she termed "hush money," but turned down. Her lawyer, Jack Shulz, blamed the company for standing up for its CEO rather than its workers.

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The case has inevitably been compared to the previous Coldplay concert controversy, in which Astronomer CEO Andy Byron was spotted on video sharing intimate moments with HR head Kristin Cabot. It went viral on the internet, igniting debate on corporate values, office relationships, and misuse of power. Shulz emphasized the parallels between the two events, reiterating that in both instances, HR departments reportedly moved to protect company executives instead of guarding employees. Amerilodge Group representative Chris Daly refused to make any comment on the issue, quoting "ongoing litigation." Malik has denied all accusations of harassment and misbehavior, with reports adding that there are no independent witnesses to support the allegations of assault at the Timberlake concert.

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The controversy has once again sparked debate about workplace sexual harassment and the alleged failure of corporate human resources systems to protect workers. Starling's allegations of retaliation following a report of wrongdoing reflect a wider trend that employee advocacy groups say deters victims from reporting abuses.