Kings mascot faces sexual harassment allegations

The Los Angeles Kings mascot faces serious allegations of misconduct.

The man who plays "Bailey," the Kings' lion mascot, is being sued for allegedly sexually harassing a female ice crew staffer, according to TMZ Sports.

The woman behind the suit is remaining anonymous to protect her identity. She was hired in 2018 to work fan events for the Kings and Ontario Reign. 

Tim Smith, the man who plays "Bailey," allegedly began to routinely make sexually charged comments toward her, TMZ reports. Smith not only is the mascot, but also manages the ice crew and has the authority to fire people. 

According to the anonymous employee, Smith allegedly created a horrible environment for female employees, making inappropriate sexual comments, and would look at her "breasts and buttocks," making her feel uncomfortable. 

When the woman made it known to Smith that the comments were unwanted, he fired her from the ice crew. A team official then tried to get her to stay by saying the team would protect her from Smith, reportedly acknowledging that his behavior is wrong. 

The woman, who returned at the team official's request, described an incident when she began working again where Smith allegedly put his crotch in her face while making derogatory comments. 

She's now suing Smith, the Kings and AEG, which owns the hockey club. She's alleges sexual harassment, retaliation and more, according to TMZ, and seeking more than $1 million in damages.