The head of a sperm bank to the stars that caters to gay and lesbian couples in New York and LA bullied his former marketing director into sharing his bed on business trips and attending cultish seminars, a $3 million federal lawsuit alleges.
Stuart Miller, whose company, Growing Generations, charges movie execs and actors $100,000 for its services, also demanded a stiff price from employee Scott Glasgow in exchange for job security, according to the suit.
"I'm still trying to recover from it. It was a horrible thing to be in a job that you really cared about doing and not being able to do it effectively because of something like this," said Glasgow, 44, who is suing for sexual harassment and religious discrimination.
The former marketing executive claims he was fired last June after he re buffed Miller's repeated advances and refused to continue attending "reli gious" seminars by Landmark Education, an offshoot of Werner Erhard's EST program.
There was no sign of trouble during Glasgow's first two years with Growing Generations, but in September 2006, Miller allegedly came on strong by booking a single room with a king-size bed for him self and his employee to share on a company cruise.
"Miller's interest in Glas gow changed from one of a profes sional nature to one of an inappro priate romantic nature," said the suit filed in Manhattan federal court.
One month after the cruise, Miller upped the ante by again booking a single room for himself and Glasgow on a trip to New Orleans, and then making a move on his employee as he slept, the suit claims.
"I woke up and he was caressing the top of my head. I got up and slept on the couch," Glasgow said.
Miller went on to send Glasgow provocative e-mails and pictures of himself dressed in bondage gear and holding a whip over the next 11/2 years, and would respond with hostility when his employee drew a line, the suit claims.
"When I would let it slide. I got all the things I would need to succeed in my job," said Glasgow.
A lawyer for Miller and Growing Generations declined comment.
Glasgow was the only Manhattan-based employee for the company, which operates mainly out of Los Angeles. He said he was bullied into renting Miller a room in his Midtown apartment for a few months.
Lawyers for Glasgow said the two men originally met in 1990 and went out on a few dates, but they had been just friends since that time.
"In the meantime, Stuart Miller was in a committed relationship with a partner and had fathered a child through Growing Generations," said Glasgow's attorney, Brent Pelton.
Founded in 1996, Growing Generations has grabbed headlines with celebrity clients like actor B.D. Wong of "Law & Order: SVU," and advertises itself as the first surrogate agency dedicated to gay and lesbian couples.
