Share: 

Milton’s Jimmie Allen sued by former assistant

Federal suit alleges rape, sexual misconduct
May 16, 2023

Milton native and award-winning country artist Jimmie Allen was sued by a former manager in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, alleging Allen raped her and committed numerous acts of sexual misconduct.

In a statement to the trade publication Variety, which broke the story May 11, Allen admitted to having a sexual relationship with the woman but said it was consensual, and denied the accusations of rape and sexual misconduct. In his statement, Allen said the relationship with the woman, who was his day-to-day manager, lasted two years. During that time, he said she never accused him of any impropriety and that once their relationship ended, she hired a lawyer and started asking for money. 

In response to the suit and the Variety story, Allen was suspended by his record label, BBR Music Group, and by his management company, UTA. Allen was also removed as the commencement speaker for Delaware State University’s graduation ceremony and was removed from the lineup at the annual CMA Fest. It was also recently reported that Allen and his wife, Alexis, were getting divorced.

The suit was filed in the Middle Tennessee district, which encompasses Nashville, where Allen has lived since the beginning of his country music career about 2011. According to the suit, the woman was assigned to Allen by his then management company, Wide Open Music, and its founder, Ash Bowers, which were both named as defendants. The woman claimed that when Bowers assigned her to Allen, she was told he was “promiscuous, but harmless.”

The suit claims that in May 2020, Allen would openly sexually harass the woman, including making comments from the stage and in front of production crew about her status as a single woman and how hot she looked.

In March 2021, Allen appeared on an episode of “American Idol,” the show where he had previously made his national debut as a young man out of Cape Henlopen High School. Following the show, the suit claims, Allen sexually assaulted the woman while she was “incapacitated and incapable of giving consent.” The suit claims that Bowers and Wide Open Music were aware of Allen’s behavior, and the woman allegedly told the company that she was uncomfortable working with the artist. 

The suit claims Allen would sexually harass and abuse the woman for 18 months until October 2022, when she disclosed to Bowers that Allen had allegedly raped her and asked to be reassigned. Instead, she was placed on leave and then fired from the company. 

The woman, identified as Jane Doe, has filed federal civil charges of sex trafficking, battery, assault and false imprisonment against Allen; participation in a venture engaged in sex trafficking, gross negligence, negligence and negligent failure to warn, train or educate against Bowers and Wide Open Music; and intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligent infliction of emotional distress against Allen, Bowers and Wide Open Music.

Allen and his representation did not respond to a request for additional comment. 

Milton Chamber of Commerce, which had been working with Allen on a visitor’s guide, said in a statement, “This is definitely a shock to the community. Like many others, we will find out more information as it becomes available. Jimmie has been a pillar in our community."

Subscribe to the CapeGazette.com Daily Newsletter