A former staffer at West Hollywood-based dating app developer Tinder Inc. filed a lawsuit Monday against the app’s parent companies, alleging she was sexually assaulted by Gregory Blatt, Tinder’s former chief executive.
Rosette Pambakian worked as vice president of marketing and communications at Tinder, starting with the company during its early days in 2012. In the lawsuit, Pambakian alleged that Blatt assaulted her at a company holiday party in 2016.
Pambakian said she was terminated after reporting the incident to supervisors, a move she claims was retaliatory. The lawsuit names Blatt as well as Tinder’s parent companies, Dallas-based Match Group Inc. and New York-based InterActive Corp., as defendants.
Pambakian is represented by San Francisco-based lawyers with Grant & Eisenhofer. She is suing for sexual battery and wrongful termination, and asking for damages to cover medical expenses as well as lost earnings and other punitive relief.
Tinder and its parent company did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
CLARIFICATION:
An earlier headline on this story misstated the defendants in the lawsuit. Pambakian is suing Tinder’s former chief executive and Tinder’s parent companies, Match Group Inc. and InterActive Corp.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story misidentified the city where Match Group is based.
Tech reporter Samson Amore can be reached at [email protected] or (323) 556-8335. Follow him on Twitter @samsonamore.
