(Bloomberg) -- New York Attorney General Letitia James and her former chief of staff Ibrahim Khan were sued by a former female staffer who claims Khan sexually assaulted her during a 2021 fundraiser.

Sofia Quintanar, James’s former deputy press secretary, claims Khan forcibly kissed her at a political fundraiser in November 2021, where James was slated to give a speech. Quintanar, who was no longer employed by James at the time of the alleged assault, filed her complaint Thursday in state court in Manhattan.

Quintanar sued under a New York law that allows victims of sexual abuse to seek monetary damages no matter how long ago the alleged acts occurred. So, even though there is a one-year statute of limitations on assault claims, because Khan is accused of a sexual offense New York’s Adult Survivors Act allows the suit to be filed. Alleged victims of Jeffrey Epstein, former President Donald Trump and billionaire Leon Black have also used the law to file lawsuits.

The Attorney General’s Office went to great lengths to protect Khan, deflecting press reports by calling the truthful allegations against him rumors and misleading reporters as to the reasons for his absence, Quintanar claimed.

“We took the allegations brought to our office seriously and engaged in decisive, prompt, and appropriate action,” James’s office said in a statement. Khan didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Quintanar and Khan, her former boss in James’s office, were both at the fundraiser when he had asked to speak to her alone, according to the lawsuit. When he kissed her, Khan “shoved his tongue down her throat,” according to the complaint.

While she alleges she “feared that Khan could end her career in politics and government” Quintanar said she later applied for a job on James’s re-election campaign, saying she put aside her concerns about Khan to get the job. 

Nevertheless, Khan “personally interfered” with her application, eventually “killing” her job prospects to return to work with James, according to the complaint.

Quintanar later spoke to officials in James’s office about the alleged assault and claims she later learned Khan was allowed to “resign” from his position and “hide his unlawful conduct.”

Quintanar is seeking unspecified damages for her physical injuries, mental anguish and emotional distress as well as punitive damages.

She claims James is liable for the negligent hiring and supervising of Khan as well as continuing to employ him after learning that at least one other former staffer for James were also allegedly sexually assaulted by him. She sued Khan for assault and sexual battery.

“With the filing of this complaint, I hope to increase the visibility and strength of women of color having a voice in the #MeToo movement,” Quintanar said in a statement. “We are less likely to come forward in these situations because those in positions of power have historically thought less of us.”

(Updates with damages. An earlier version of this story corrected spelling of Khan)

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