The mayor of New York is accused of sexual harassment committed in 1993

 A former employee of the New York City Transportation Authority filed a lawsuit against the mayor of the city, Eric Adams, accusing him of sexual assault committed in 1993.

According to the plaintiff, Lorna Beach-Matura, at that time they worked together in the bureau of the municipal transport police.

The lawsuit says she turned to Adams for advice about working in a hostile office environment. Adams, who was then a traffic officer, promised to drive her home and burn the matter on the way. Adams allegedly attacked her in the car.

According to the claimant, on the way home, Adam took her to a darkened area and began to demand sexual favors in exchange for his help.

Beach Mathura refused him and pulled her hand away as Adams forced it over her exposed genitalia. After that, he allegedly started masturbating and ejaculating on the plaintiff, and then took her to the subway station.

Lorna Beach-Matura says she trusted Adams because he was a police officer at the time and a leader of the New York Police Trustee Association, a fraternal group that advocates for equality and fair treatment of black workers.

The plaintiff also noted that as an administrative assistant at the city's Bureau of Transportation - which is now part of the New York Police Department - she repeatedly faced sexual harassment, discrimination and denial of promotions.

According to Beach-Matura, Adams was also behind her subsequent transfer to another department, where she lost seniority and was forced to quit during a downsizing "in retaliation for refusing his sexual demands."

The lawsuit was filed under New York's adult crime survivor statute, which allows defendants to sue for alleged long-term sexual abuse even if the statute of limitations has expired.

Adams vehemently denied "these outrageous allegations" in a statement through city lawyers.

It says that Adams in 1993 "was one of the most prominent public opponents of racism in the NYPD, so the allegations in the lawsuit that he had any influence on civilian promotions are ludicrous."