Kirt Webster has been accused of sexually assaulting and drugging a former intern.
The sexual harassment scandal has spread to Nashville. Country music power publicist Kirt Webster has been accused of sexually assaulting and drugging a former intern.
Webster — who has repped stars including Dolly Parton, Hank Williams Jr, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Sam Moore, Kid Rock, Kenny G. and KC and The Sunshine Band – has been accused online of repeatedly sexually assaulting budding musician Austin Cody Rick.
Rick, a recent graduate of the University of North Carolina, wrote on Facebook, “In 2008 Kirt Webster, the CEO of the powerful Nashville-based Webster Public Relations did terrible, terrible things to me. He sexually assaulted me repeatedly, he drugged and sexually violated me, he offered me publicity opportunities and magazine columns in exchange for sexual acts. He paid me to keep my mouth shut. And he did everything under threat that he’d make sure nobody in the industry ever heard my name again.”
Rick added, “It took me a year to escape from him and get away to where he couldn’t find me or reach me any longer – although he still continued to harass me via phone and text messages for years – up until this year, even.”
He continued, “Most importantly, I want to help in any way I can to ensure that no future victim of Kirt’s — or of any other monster’s — has to go through the year of torment that I did.”
Adding that he is likely to sue Webster in civil court, he said, “I have probably, in the words of a high-profile journalist I’ve spoken with, just uncovered Nashville’s worst-kept secret.”
Rick has started a GoFundMe page to raise funds for his legal battle, and, “I have no plans of backing off until Kirt Webster and his accomplices are brought to face their crimes.”
Reps for PR king Webster, who is not married and doesn’t have children, said in a statement, “As a single adult, Mr. Webster has had multiple relationships over the course of his professional life, all of which have been consensual. This includes a brief relationship with Mr. Rick. It saddens Mr. Webster that nine years later, after Mr. Rick’s music career has been stagnant, Mr. Rick has taken the opportunistic approach of mischaracterizing that relationship and posting untrue allegations.”
