The King County Superior Court received the complaint on a date in early 2024, alleging that Danbom was raped by senior executive Michelangelo Simonte during a company‑sponsored trip to New York City on Oct. 27, 2023.
The incident unfolded after the group attended an Amazon‑hosted event featuring an open bar, followed by karaoke nights, all funded by the e‑commerce giant. The lawsuit claims Danbom was compelled to remain silent about the assault while continuing professional interactions with Simonte. Her attorney, Jay Free, said Amazon’s stance placed her in an "impossible choice."
Danbom provided a condom containing DNA evidence to police a few days after the incident, but investigators reportedly did not obtain a sample from Simonte for comparison, a fact she says Amazon failed to address.
The suit invokes Washington’s Silenced No More Act, which prohibits employers from preventing employees from discussing incidents of workplace discrimination, harassment, or sexual assault.
The lawsuit is still pending, with no hearing date set, and Amazon has not issued a public statement in response to the allegations.