The Los Angeles Kings have suspended the man who performs as the team’s mascot after a sexual harassment lawsuit was filed against him by a former female employee.
Tim Smith is the man behind the mask.
The woman who filed the lawsuit is part of The Ice Crew, brand ambassadors leading fan activities during games and promoting the team away from the arena.
The lawsuit alleges Smith verbally and physically harassed the woman and then fired her after she protested.
A Kings team official asked her to return, but the harassment continued and she eventually quit, the lawsuit claims. Smith has worked for the Kings organization since 2007. He was previously sued for harassment in 2017 by a man who alleged he grabbed his buttocks during an elevator ride. The lawsuit was settled in July 2018.
The lawsuit seeks more than $1 million in damages.
The team said it plans to conduct an investigation. There’s always something inherently creepy about a guy who wears a costume for a living.
