Amazon employee sues company over alleged executive rape

Laura Danbom, a marketing and operations manager for Amazon Web Services (AWS) based in Seattle, has filed a lawsuit in King County Superior Court against Amazon. The suit alleges that a senior advertising executive, Michelangelo Simonte, raped her during a business trip to New York City on October 27, 2023.

According to the complaint, the incident occurred at a hotel in Manhattan after a group of colleagues attended an Amazon-funded event. Danbom alleges that Simonte, who is based in Madrid, ignored her explicit refusals. Following the incident, Danbom reported the assault to the New York Police Department and underwent a forensic examination.

The lawsuit further claims that Amazon failed to conduct a sufficient investigation and instead forced Danbom to continue working with the executive. Danbom accuses the company of creating a hostile work environment and violating Washington state’s Silenced No More Act, which is designed to protect employees who report workplace assaults from retaliation.