Love Is Blind contestant Tran Dang has filed a lawsuit against production companies Kinetic Content and Delirium TV, alleging sexual assault, false imprisonment, and negligence. Dang claims that she was aggressively recruited to appear on the hit Netflix reality series and intentionally sequestered for two weeks in the show’s pods by producers. According to the lawsuit, Dang was attacked by her then on-screen fiancé Thomas Smith, on May 3, 2022, while filming Love Is Blind’s fifth season in Mexico.
The lawsuit, filed by Houston law firm Wallace & Allen LLP, states that the production crew had 24-hour surveillance of Dang and Smith, and most, if not all, of the alleged traumatic acts were filmed by the crew. Dang’s complaint further alleges that the producers attempted to mask her sexual assault by characterizing it as a lack of attraction on her part.
Dang claims that she was baffled by the lack of intervention to stop the harassment and that when she reached out to a Love Is Blind assistant producer, she was made to feel at fault for the incident. Eventually, Dang chose to leave the show during filming and is now seeking significant damages due to the defendant’s alleged criminal, tortious, and outrageous conduct.
Neither Dang nor Smith are featured in Love Is Blind’s fifth season, which premiered on September 22 on Netflix. In response to the lawsuit, Kinetic Content and Delirium TV issued a joint statement denying the claims and stating that they have no knowledge or control over what occurs in private living spaces when not filming. They also emphasized their commitment to the well-being of participants and denied any wrongdoing.
Chris Coelen, the CEO of Kinetic Content and creator of Love Is Blind, directly denied the assault allegations, stating that Dang did not make any claim of assault during filming. Dang’s lawyer, Ben Allen, criticized the producers’ response, accusing them of delaying the legal proceedings and expressing confidence that Dang’s position will be vindicated in court.
The lawsuit and the response from the production companies have gained attention in the context of increasing scrutiny on the behind-the-scenes reality of unscripted TV.
