Hot yoga founder ordered to pay in harassment lawsuit

Besides Baughn’s claim of sexual assault, five other women have come forward with civil lawsuits filed in Los Angeles Superior Court claiming Choudhury raped them.

Attorney Minakshi Jafa-Bodden alleged that she suffered gender discrimination, wrongful termination, and sexual harassment when she was working for him, reported the Los Angeles Times.

The 69-year-old Choudhury strongly denied allegations of sexual assault against him and described the accusations of mistreatment and abuse of employees as lies.

“We think the jury’s verdict is a tremendous vindication of all of Ms. Bodden’s efforts to stop this abusive and harassing conduct not just towards herself but to numerous other women who have attempted to stand up to Bikram Choudhury”, Jafa-Bodden’s lawyer Carla Minnard said in a statement to the New York Daily News.

In awarding her $924,554 in compensatory damages, the mostly female panel also found Choudhury acted with malice, triggering a second phase of trial set to begin Tuesday to determine if Jafa-Bodden should be awarded punitive damages.

“I don’t do that”, he testified.

One of Jafa-Bodden’s lawyers, Mark Quigley, displayed photos of a pair of white Ferarris Choudhury said he bought for his children and an overhead shot of his Beverly Hills mansion.

Jafa-Bodden was employed by Choudhury at the West L.A.-based “Yoga College of India” until she was sacked in March of 2013, according to her complaint. Bikram Choudhury is the founder of Bikram yoga. The technique is taught at more than 650 studios worldwide and has drawn a throng of devoted followers. She also claimed he required her to meet with him in his hotel room, and that at one such meeting, Choudhury “climbed into bed, and patted the bedspread next to him”, indicating that Jafa-Bodden should join him. The hearing for punitive damages began on Tuesday, with attorneys for both sides squabbling over financial documents provided by Choudhury. She also accused Choudhury of pressuring her to cover up his sexual harassment of women. Three women had complained that he’d sexually assaulted them and a fourth alleged that he touched her genitals without consent. All four accusers lacked corroborating witnesses and physical evidence, the memo said.

Jafa-Bodden is a native of India who practiced law internationally after obtaining her law degree in Great Britain.