Kanye West accused of sexually assaulting/strangling former America's Next Top Model contestant

On Friday, model Jenifer An filed a lawsuit alleging that rapper Kanye West (pictured) sexually assaulted and strangled her during a music video shoot back in 2010.  © Collage: IMAGO / Cover-Images

According to NBC News, the suit was filed with the US District Court for the Southern District of New York on Friday by model Jenifer An, who is seeking compensatory and punitive damages for an alleged incident that took place during a music video shoot at the Chelsea Hotel in Manhattan back in 2010.

The suit alleges that when West arrived at the shoot, he "took control" of the production and the team, and "ordered the female background actors/models, including Plaintiff, to line up in the hallway."

After evaluating their appearances, West pointed to An – who was wearing "revealing lingerie" – and said, "Give me the Asian girl."

West then allegedly took An to a room with chairs and a camera, ordered her to sit, then "began to choke" her "in a manner similar to pornographic gagging/deep throat/BDSM fetishes."

He allegedly "smothered Plaintiff’s face with both of his hands, which smeared her makeup" and "rammed several fingers down her throat, continuously moved them in and out, and gagged her to emulate forced oral sex."

"This is art, this is f*****g art," West allegedly told the production team while assaulting An. "I am like Picasso."

An's suit comes as West has been facing a number of legal troubles, including a similar lawsuit recently filed by his former assistant Lauren Pisciotta, who claims he drugged and sexually assaulted her.

In a statement, An said she hopes her suit will create “a safer world" for female artists, as they "have been subject to sexual abuse for years with no recourse to speak out or implement change."