£1m lawsuit | Moet Hennessy whistleblower allegedly told she was 'gagging for it'

Moët Hennessy is facing a £1.1 million lawsuit from a former executive who claims she was subjected to a toxic workplace culture, including being told she needed “anti-seduction” training and was “gagging for it”.

Maria Gasparovic, the company’s former chief of staff to executive Jean-Marc Lacave, was dismissed in June 2024, four months after she raised concerns with HR about the conduct of senior colleagues while based at the champagne maker’s headquarters in Paris.

Her legal complaint claims no formal investigation was carried out into her concerns. She also reports former CEO Philippe Schaus ordered HR to investigate her private life, believing she was having an affair with a colleague.>Gasparovic further said that Lacave told her she had been described as “gagging for it” by a client. Lacave, who has since left the business, also allegedly told her that she needed “anti-seduction” training to be promoted, according to the Financial Times.

Dozens reportedly impacted by ‘toxic’ workplace culture at Moet’s Paris HQ

The complaint also details wider allegations about the firm’s working environment. Sources cited in the FT describe a culture of bullying, sexist remarks and high stress, with at least 20 employees at the Paris headquarters reportedly going on long-term sick leave during 2024.