If you ever thought you'd been screwed by your landlord, this story's for you.
A Cincinnati landlord has been sued by the federal Department of Justice for allegedly having made unwanted sex and groping part of the unwritten rent deal with some female tenants.
According to the DoJ, Henry Bailey has been offering reduced rent and maintenance repairs in return for sexual favors. No sex – no repairs and no discounts. The suit was filed under the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988, according to Cincinnati.com.
“A person's home should provide a place of comfort and safety,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Carter M. Stewart, in a statement. “We must safeguard those values by investigating and prosecuting any person or group that seeks to interfere with them.”
The case against Bailey was brought after complaints by a number of tenants who said his behavior has been going on for several years. The suit seeks unspecified monetary damages for victims, civil penalties and a court order barring future discrimination.
So maybe we’re naïve, but we’re wondering how this goes on for a couple of years before there’s a lawsuit … and why there are no criminal charges?
A Cincinnati landlord has been sued by the federal Department of Justice for allegedly having made unwanted sex and groping part of the unwritten rent deal with some female tenants.
According to the DoJ, Henry Bailey has been offering reduced rent and maintenance repairs in return for sexual favors. No sex – no repairs and no discounts. The suit was filed under the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988, according to Cincinnati.com.
“A person's home should provide a place of comfort and safety,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Carter M. Stewart, in a statement. “We must safeguard those values by investigating and prosecuting any person or group that seeks to interfere with them.”
The case against Bailey was brought after complaints by a number of tenants who said his behavior has been going on for several years. The suit seeks unspecified monetary damages for victims, civil penalties and a court order barring future discrimination.
So maybe we’re naïve, but we’re wondering how this goes on for a couple of years before there’s a lawsuit … and why there are no criminal charges?