Johnny Depp's Former Bodyguards Claim Dangerous Conditions, Unpaid Wages In New Suit
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Two of Johnny Depp's former bodyguards claim they're owed unpaid wages, overtime and were forced "to protect Depp from himself"on the job, according to a new lawsuit.
Retired L.A. police detective Eugene Arreola and private security services veteran Miguel Sanchez say they worked for the actor for several years through Premier Group International and continued working for Depp after the company dissolved in 2016, according to Los Angeles Superior Court filings obtained by City News Service.
Court documents allege Depp used the plaintiffs as drivers in some instances. According to one allegation, some of the vehicles "contained illegal substances, open containers and minors."
Both men claim they worked 12-hour shifts without overtime. Sanchez cites the period from May 2016 to April 2018. Arreola additionally claims he was not provided meal or rest breaks during long shifts worked from May 2016 to January 2018, CNS reports.
The plaintiffs also allege they were placed in compromising and unsafe positions on the job. In one instance, one of the plaintiffs claims Depp had to be alerted to "illegal substances visible on his face and person" during an outing at a nightclub, according to the filings. In another instance, Sanchez claims he had to rush his supervisor, Leonard Damian, to the hospital after Damian allegedly shot himself in the leg while playing with a small gun in a control room on Depp's property.
Both plaintiffs claim they were retaliated against by their supervisor; in one case, for complaining about work conditions, and in another, for taking time off for private health matters. They say they quit due to the "dangerous and toxic work environment."
The dates of the plaintiffs' employment overlaps with Depp's divorce proceedings. The actor and actress Amber Heard settled their divorce case in August 2016.
Heard for divorce in May and days later obtained a temporary restraining order accusing the "Pirates of the Caribbean" star of hitting her during a fight in their Los Angeles apartment that month. Heard later withdrew her allegations, following denials from Depp. Police said they found no evidence of a crime in that case.
A spokesperson for Depp had not commented on the suit at the time of this report.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
