Southern Charm star Thomas Ravenel has been accused of sexual assault. Former model and real estate agent Ashley Perkins claims the 55-year-old Bravo star sexually assaulted her mother, Debbie Holloway Perkins, after they matched on Tinder.
“My mom and Mr Ravenel matched on Tinder in late October 2015. Mr. Ravenel asked my mom out several times before she finally agreed to a ‘date,’” Ashley wrote in a blog entry last month. “I helped mom get ready for her date. That included picking out jewelry for her wrists … Her wrist didn’t have a mark on them before she entered Mr. Ravenel’s car … I greeted her when Mr. Ravenel dropped her off a few hours later, her wrist was cut and already showing signs of bruising.”
Ashley told Fox News on Wednesday, May 2, that the alleged assault happened on December 25, 2015, a month after he welcomed his second child with ex-girlfriend Kathryn Dennis.
“[My mother] told me that he grabbed her by the wrist and held her down. He then proceeded to pull his penis out,” Ashley alleged to Fox News. “She said ‘no’ and then he shoved his fingers inside of her vagina and later her anal area.”
Ashley claims to Fox News that she and her mom hired lawyer Gloria Allred for a case against Ravenel. They reportedly settled for 200,000 during mediation in June 2016.
Ravenel’s lawyer responded to the allegations in a statement to Us on Thursday.
“My client enjoys a certain degree of fame and unfortunately has become — unfairly — a target for an individual who has, in my opinion, dubious motivations,” Richard P. Terbrusch said in the statement.
Ravenel, who was sentenced to 10 months in jail on federal cocaine distribution charges in 2007, has starred on Southern Charm since its premiere in 2014. He shares 4-year-old daughter Kensie and 2-year-old son Saint with Dennis.
The former politician is currently dating Ashley Jacobs, who opened up about their relationship on The Morning Toast on Wednesday.
“I’m just trying to bring lots of love and light, and just be a good role model,” Jacobs said of Ravenel’s kids. “When I started dating Thomas, I was actually attracted to him more because he had children.”
Us Weekly has reached out to Bravo for comment.
