Erica Herman, who lived with the 15-time major winner at his
Florida mansion until late 2022, filed the request in the Circuit Court of the
19th Judicial Circuit in Martin County, Florida.
According to court records seen by AFP, Herman’s attorneys
are arguing that the NDA she was required to sign is “invalid and
unenforceable” under US federal legislation known as the Speak Out Act
The law, which became effective last year in the wake of the
MeToo movement, makes nondisclosure agreements unenforceable in cases involving
sexual assault and harassment.
Herman’s case filings do not go into further details and
there are no specific allegations against Woods.
But in response to a question on the court filing which
reads “Does this case involve allegations of sexual abuse?” Herman’s attorneys
have checked the box marked “Yes”.
Herman’s bid to waive her NDA agreement marks an escalation
of a legal dispute with Woods which began last October, but which has gone
largely unreported in the US media.
In court filings also seen by AFP, Herman’s lawyers have
sued the Jupiter Island Irrevocable Homestead Trust, which is the legal entity
that owns Woods’s home in Florida.
Herman’s suit alleges that “agents” for Woods duped her into
leaving the mansion last year by telling her to prepare for a vacation.
“By trickery, agents of the defendant (Woods) convinced the
plaintiff (Herman) to pack a suitcase for a short vacation and, when she
arrived at the airport, they told her she had been locked out of her
residence,” the court filing said.
Herman’s lawyers claim Woods is in violation of an “oral
tenancy agreement” allowing her to live in the mansion — reportedly worth $54
million — and are suing for damages.
The legal dispute threatens to drag Woods’ private life into
the media spotlight once again, 14 years after the sex scandal which almost
destroyed his career and shocked the sporting world.
Woods squeaky clean image imploded in 2009 after revelations
of multiple infidelities, leading to his divorce from his first wife Elin Nordegren
in 2010.
Since that scandal, Woods has slowly rebuilt his career,
winning the Masters in 2019 to complete a fairytale comeback after years of
injuries and multiple surgeries.
He faced a fresh setback in 2021 when he was involved in a
serious rollover crash in California which again imperilled his playing career
before making another comeback to major championship golf last year at the
Masters.
The golfing icon is not playing at this week’s Players
Championship in Florida but is on record as stating that he hopes to play in
April’s Masters in Augusta.
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