WESTLAND, Mich. – The Justice Department filed a lawsuit Wednesday against a Michigan landlord for allegedly sexually harassing female tenants and retaliating against those who refused his advances.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, accuses William Aaron Asper of engaging in sexual harassment and retaliation in violation of the Fair Housing Act.
The alleged misconduct began in 2018 and continues to the present day.
According to the federal complaint, Asper offered housing benefits in exchange for sexual contact and made unwelcome sexual advances toward female tenants.
The lawsuit alleges he subjected women to unwanted touching and groping and took retaliatory actions against those who rejected his advances.
“Women should not live in fear when they pay their rent or seek repairs,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
In one instance detailed in the investigation, Asper allegedly demanded that a tenant meet him at a hotel, threatening a 24-hour eviction notice if she refused.
Jessica Grevenstuk and other women started a Facebook group a few years ago called “Women Against Asper.”
The group allows women to share similar experiences, helping to provide information for the federal investigation.
Grevenstuk was not a tenant of Asper but claims she was harassed by him in 2015 over Facebook after talking on a dating site.
“He uses his charm and swag to get these women in these situations and then exploits them,” Grevenstuk said. “He’s a monster.”
U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. for the Eastern District of Michigan called Asper “a man who preys on vulnerable women in need of a home.”
Court records show Asper was previously on probation from 2019 to 2021 for aggravated stalking in Wayne County.
He later attempted to run for mayor of Westland but was removed from the ballot due to residency issues.
When reached by phone on Wednesday (Dec. 3), Asper denied all allegations, stating he had “never offered lower rent for anything or all these other accusations.”
The lawsuit seeks monetary damages for victims, civil penalties, and a court order prohibiting future discrimination.
The case results from a joint investigation by the Justice Department and the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General.
The action is part of the Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative, launched in October 2017.
Since its inception, the department has filed 52 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered nearly $16.2 million for victims.
Victims of housing discrimination or sexual harassment by landlords can contact the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743 or file a report online.