Actor and screenwriter Derek Dixon has filed a lawsuit against Tyler Perry, accusing the media mogul of sexual harassment and offering professional favors in exchange for silence.

Filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, the 46-page suit seeks $260 million in damages. Dixon claims Perry made repeated unwanted advances, including groping and explicit texts, after casting him in a role on The Oval in 2019.

The complaint alleges Perry lured Dixon to his Georgia home, served him drinks, and later entered his guest room uninvited and groped him. “Mr. Perry sought the one thing his wealth and influence could not purchase — a sexual relationship with a man who would remain silent,” the complaint states.

Dixon says Perry became increasingly aggressive when he refused his advances, later treating him like an on-call “pet” and using job offers to control him.

According to the suit, Perry allegedly assaulted Dixon multiple times between 2020 and 2021, including during a trip to the Bahamas and again at his home.

After one alleged incident, a lawyer for Perry reportedly praised Dixon and offered him a raise and the opportunity to develop his original script, Losing It. Dixon now claims that project was never meant to be produced, but was instead a means to keep him quiet.

Perry’s legal team denies all allegations, calling the lawsuit a “scam” and claiming Dixon sought proximity to Perry for opportunistic reasons. The lawsuit compares Perry to other powerful entertainment figures accused of sexual misconduct and alleges a cover-up rooted in manipulation and fear.

Dixon eventually declined further offers from Perry and filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The status of that complaint is currently unclear.