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In a dramatic turn of events at the downtown hotspot Waverly Inn, a lawsuit has emerged involving Rachelle Hruska MacPherson, wife of hotelier and Waverly Inn partner Sean MacPherson. The allegations stem from an incident on January 29, where MacPherson reportedly became highly intoxicated and attempted to kiss the maitre d, according to the legal complaint.
Rachelle Hruska MacPherson, known for her clothing brand Lingua Franca NYC, which features hand-embroidered sweaters with politically charged phrases like “No Kings” and “ICE out,” is accused of inappropriate behavior. The incident, captured on surveillance cameras, allegedly escalated to the point where MacPherson tried to bribe the maitre d into silence after the uncomfortable encounter.
The employee at the center of the controversy, Blake Deemer, a seasoned staff member at the Waverly Inn, filed a complaint in Manhattan Supreme Court, stating that MacPherson, aged 43, engaged in a series of unwanted and non-consensual physical interactions with him.
According to Deemer’s account, MacPherson leaned on him, grabbed his arm, and used him for physical support throughout the evening. The situation reportedly escalated when she attempted to kiss him, despite his clear lack of consent.
Deemer’s legal filing alleges, “She repeatedly attempted to force physical intimacy by bringing her face toward [his] face in an effort to kiss” him, an unwanted advance that has now led to the current legal proceedings.
The wealthy entrepreneur — whose hubby is a partner in boutique Manhattan hotspots such as the Jane and Chelsea hotels — then grabbed Deemer’s collar and pulled him toward her, but he got away, he told The Post.
“I literally said to her something along the lines of, ‘I’m trying to help you wake up tomorrow without regrets,’ ” he recalled.
The alcohol-soaked episode finally ended after Sean MacPherson called her cell phone and sent a car for his wife, Deemer said.
Deemer, who worked at the Bank Street hotspot founded Vanity Fair legend Graydon Carter for more than four years, immediately complained of the wife’s behavior, but management was dismissive, he said in court papers.
A day after he complained, Deemer said Rachelle MacPherson texted him, asking for his information for the payment apps Venmo or Zelle.
“The timing and context of this payment were reasonably understood as an attempt to influence or silence” Deemer said in court papers.
“She wanted to ‘send me a little something’ for taking care of her,” he said. “I didn’t respond. I was so shocked. . . . I didn’t know how to respond.
“Then eventually I responded the next day: ‘That’s very generous. I’m not comfortable with that I just need some time.’”
He later learned the surveillance footage of the incident was deleted, according to the lawsuit.
It wasn’t the first run-in he’d had with MacPherson at the West Village venue beloved by celebs like Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.
In February 2022, while COVID-19 was still a significant concern, she allegedly ripped his face mask off while he was working, he said in the lawsuit.
After the more recent incident, Deemer worked until he secured Staten Island lawyer Natraj Bhushan, and has stayed away from Waverly Inn since. Deemer is seeking unspecified damages, accusing the restaurant of creating a hostile work environment.
The Waverly Inn declined comment and McPherson did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.