Secretary Alleges She was Made Sexual Gofer

A New York secretary is suing her former boss for $24 million, alleging that he made her the liaison for his sexual activities.

Fatima Monahan, a New Jersey woman and married mother of three, claims that Frederick Iseman, managing partner of Caxton-Iseman Capital, Inc., directed her to purchase erotic books, lingerie and edible underwear for his girlfriends, and bottles of lubricant. She also alleges that he had her rent a studio apartment, which he used for his affairs.

Iseman is a Yale graduate who has had articles published in The New Yorker, New York Times, Washington Post, and Harper's Magazine. In 1993, he founded Caxton-Iseman, a multibillion dollar private investment firm. He is also a chairman for Anteon International, a company that provides technological and engineering services to the United States government, and serves on the board of the New York City Opera and the International Rescue Committee.

Monahan was hired in August 2005 and worked as Iseman's executive assistant for one year. Her lawsuit states that shortly after her employment began, she was subjected to a "pattern of practice of humiliating, egregious and reprehensible sexual harassment," which escalated when Iseman asked her to organize pornographic photos and participate in an affair with his ex-wife.

Monahan also alleges that at one point, Iseman had her set up dates for him with three different women while he was on a trip overseas, then had her fly from New York to London just to deliver erectile disfunction medication, which she states Iseman told her was essential to his health. The lawsuit includes claims that Iseman used offensive language and told her to change her business card to reflect the services she provided for him.

"These salacious details are all false," Michael Berger, Iseman's attorney, told the New York Post. "She's going to be shown to be a total liar and a thief." He added that Monahan made up the allegations after she was fired for forging checks and making unauthorized charges on Iseman's credit card, essentially stealing $250,000.

The New York district attorney's office is looking into the situation.

UPDATE: On November 29, 2007, the New York County District Attorney's Office announced the indictment of Fatima Monahan for Grand Larceny in the Third Degree and Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle in the Third Degree. According to the announcement, Monahan is accused of using Frederick Iseman's Mercedes Benz without permission. She is also accused of using Iseman's credit card for $43,000 in unauthorized online purchases.

In a statement regarding the indictment, Iseman said, "The fact that Ms. Monahan has now been indicted on criminal charges strongly supports what I have said all along about her retaliatory civil lawsuit against me. Her allegations are baseless and dishonest, and were fabricated to distract attention from her own outrageous behavior."