The celebrity fashion designer was arrested March 6 by Beverly Hills, Calif., police. He is free on $1.3-million bail. But the judge in the case imposed certain conditions, including that any model age 30 or under who works with him have a guardian present and sign a release.
There are 12 women accusing him of sexual assault, their ages ranging from 14 to 23. Authorities are also investigating allegations made by six other women. Authorities in New York and Texas have also opened investigations into whether the designer assaulted women there.
Jon's attorney, Ronald Richards, has maintained his client’s innocence from the very onset. Following Jon’s arrest in March, Richards commented: “(What) is going on here is these girls fly in for model jobs after months of dialogue filled with flirtation, they have sexual interaction and if he doesn't put them in the show ... then some time later they claim they had unwanted sex.”
“He lured these girls to be models and once here sexually assaulted them,” Jane Robison, a Los Angeles County district attorney's office spokeswoman said when the new charges were filed Monday. “This is an ongoing investigation and we believe there may be numerous additional victims.”
Prosecutors allege that in October 2004, Jon raped a woman and that this year he committed lewd acts with a 15-year-old. The investigation began after a third woman reported being raped. If convicted, Jon faces a maximum of life in prison.
The 33-year-old designer launched his fashion line in 1999 after graduating from the Parsons School of Design in New York. He has dressed celebrities such as Paris Hilton, Michelle Rodriguez, Paula Abdul and Mary J. Blige.
He has received considerable appreciation from the industry, with Newsweek naming him in their “Who's Next in 2007” issue. He has also made several appearances on Tyra Banks' modeling competition “America's Next Top Model.”
He was planning to star in a reality TV show for VH1 about the fashion world co-starring his friend and “Lost” actress Michelle Rodriguez.
