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In a dramatic legal confrontation that has cast a shadow over Netflix’s popular dating show “Love Is Blind,” contestant Steven Sunday has filed a defamation lawsuit against a woman who publicly accused him of sexual assault. The legal action, submitted on February 10th to the Franklin County Common Court Pleas, comes in response to allegations made by Elisha Watts following the Season 10 cast announcement.
According to The Columbus Dispatch, Sunday claims that Watts’ public statements have led to his suspension from his commission-based insurance agency position, effectively cutting off his income stream as the company conducts an internal investigation.
The controversy began on January 27th when Watts took to social media following the “Love Is Blind” Season 10 cast reveal. In her posts, she alleged that Sunday sexually assaulted her in May 2025 after filming had concluded, and further claimed he recorded her without consent and made the recordings visible on social media platforms.
Sunday has categorically denied these allegations, describing them as “unequivocally false.” His lawsuit presents a significantly different account of their interaction, claiming that Watts initiated contact by responding to his social media post in October 2024, leading to Instagram communications that eventually resulted in her inviting him to her apartment.
The legal filing acknowledges that Sunday deleted his side of these conversations, explaining that “Steven was advised by a member of the production staff to begin deleting all message histories wherever possible” after being cast on the show. The lawsuit states that Sunday “complied with this advice and began deleting messages as a regular course of business across nearly all of his messaging.”
Regarding the May 2025 encounter at the center of the allegations, Sunday’s lawsuit claims that Watts visited his apartment where they engaged in consensual sexual activity, both agreeing to record a portion of their encounter on his mobile phone. According to the lawsuit, this recording lasted less than two minutes. Sunday maintains that he later declined further sexual encounters with Watts before leaving her apartment and subsequently blocking her on social media.
The lawsuit states that between January 27th and February 10th, Watts posted multiple videos about her claims, continuing even after Sunday’s attorney sent her a cease and desist letter demanding removal of the posts and an end to public statements about him. The legal document claims Watts has not responded to either Sunday or his legal representation since receiving the letter.
In a January 31st video, Watts identified herself as “the girl who posted on my Instagram story about how Steven from Love Is Blind season 10 sexually assaulted me.” The lawsuit characterizes her social media campaign as having “no basis upon which to make her statements other than to subject Steven to public contempt and to damage his reputation.”
The legal complaint further cites a February 10th post in which Watts allegedly encouraged people to spread her statements “so we can reach as many people as possible before the show comes out,” describing these as “malicious and calculated measures taken by Elisha to irreparably damage Steven’s reputation both personally and professionally.”
Sunday’s lawsuit seeks monetary damages for defamation for each of Watts’ posts, compensation for intentional infliction of emotional distress, and restitution for lost earnings resulting from his workplace suspension.
The timing of this controversy is particularly significant for Netflix and the “Love Is Blind” production, as the allegations and subsequent lawsuit emerged just as promotional activities for Season 10 were ramping up. The lawsuit claims that “Elisha’s false statements have already irreparably damaged Steven’s ability to participate in promotional and/or related media activities pertaining to the TV show where Steven is a participant.”
Neither Netflix nor the production company behind “Love Is Blind” has issued public statements regarding the allegations or the lawsuit at this time.
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20 Comments
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Allegations of sexual assault are always serious, and I hope the legal system can determine the facts and provide a fair resolution.
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The mining and energy industries have faced their fair share of scandals, and it’s important that any wrongdoing is addressed. However, the legal process should be allowed to play out before drawing conclusions.
Allegations of sexual assault are always serious, and I hope the legal system can determine the facts and provide a just outcome.
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The mining and energy sectors have had their fair share of scandals, and it’s important that wrongdoing is addressed. However, the legal process should be allowed to play out impartially.
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Allegations of sexual misconduct are always troubling, but the truth is often complex. I hope the legal system can determine the facts and provide a fair resolution.
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The mining and energy industries have faced their fair share of scandals and controversies. It’s crucial that companies and individuals are held accountable, but also that the legal system functions impartially.
These types of cases can get messy and polarizing. I hope both sides get a fair hearing and the facts come to light.
This case highlights the need for impartiality and due diligence in the legal system. I’ll be following the developments closely to see how the facts unfold.
These types of high-profile cases can be complex and divisive. I hope the legal process can uncover the truth and provide a fair resolution.