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Paula Abdul Settles Sexual Assault Lawsuit Against Nigel Lythgoe

The lawsuit accused Lythgoe of assaulting Abdul during one of the early seasons of 'American Idol' and years later, when she was a judge on 'So You Think You Can Dance.'

Lythgoe said in a statement that “we live in a troubling time where a person is now automatically assumed to be guilty until proven innocent, a process that can take years.” He added, “That is why, like Paula, I am glad to be able to put this behind me. “For years, Abdul has remained silent about the sexual assaults and harassment she experienced on account of Lythgoe due to fear of speaking out against one of the most well-known producers of television competition shows who could easily break her career as a television personality and of being ostracized and blackballed by an industry that had a pattern of protecting powerful men and silencing survivors of sexual assault and harassment,” stated the complaint, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court. “I hope my experience can serve to inspire other women, facing similar struggles, to overcome their own challenges with dignity and respect, so that they too can turn the page and begin a new chapter of their lives,” Abdul said in a statement.

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