Art curator and model Racquel Chevremont has filed a $14 million lawsuit against her ex-fiancée and former business partner, acclaimed artist Mickalene Thomas, accusing her of physical assault, emotional abuse, and financial exploitation.

The case, filed in the New York State Supreme Court, outlines years of alleged mistreatment during and after their personal and professional relationship.

According to court documents, Chevremont claims Thomas "subjected her to escalating abuse — emotional, and ultimately physical," leading her to end their relationship in October 2020 after what she describes as an assault.

The filing states that Thomas later became hostile when Chevremont refused to rekindle their romance, resulting in what she calls "a campaign of harassment and retaliation."

Chevremont alleges that she continued to work for Thomas after their breakup, taking on roles such as modeling for artwork, managing commissions, and negotiating contracts.

However, she claims that Thomas withheld promised payments and bonuses, including a $2 million commission tied to a multimillion-dollar art deal with collector José Mugrabi, PageSix reported.

The lawsuit also says Chevremont's contributions went uncredited in Thomas's art business, despite her active involvement in securing deals and overseeing creative projects.

Mickalene Thomas Accused of Invading Ex's Privacy

According to HyperAllergic, one of the lawsuit's most serious claims involves Chevremont's accusation that Thomas invaded her privacy by searching through her belongings and copying personal photos from her phone.

Court papers also allege that Thomas threatened to expose intimate videos and photos from their relationship. "Ms. Chevremont was terrified, especially given Ms. Thomas's prior assault," the filing states.

The lawsuit further claims that Thomas "illegally fired" Chevremont in 2022 after she rejected her advances, and later attempted to damage her career by discouraging other artists and galleries from working with her.

Chevremont says this led to significant emotional distress and loss of income, estimating total damages at more than $14 million.

A spokesperson for Mickalene Thomas has strongly denied the allegations, telling ARTnews, "Mickalene is a world-renowned artist who is the sole author and architect of her decades-long success. The allegations made by her ex-girlfriend are completely false and a desperate attempt to remain relevant and profit off Mickalene's hard-earned reputation and legacy. We will deal with this frivolous and petty exploitation in court."

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