Tyler Perry Says Assault Accuser Derek Dixon ‘Needs Help’ and Is Exploiting Their ‘Friendship and Professional Relationship’

Tyler Perry is alleging that accuser Derek Dixon falsified the sexual assault claims against the film director, according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE.

On Oct. 1, Perry’s legal team filed documents with the United States District Court’s Central Division of California, alleging that Dixon’s sexual assault lawsuit against Perry is “profoundly disappointing, cynical, and—most of all—false.”

In June, Dixon accused Perry of quid pro quo sexual harassment, sexual battery, sexual assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress, retaliation, and more, according to court documents previously obtained by PEOPLE. 

Dixon is seeking $260 million in damages from Perry and his production company, Tyler Perry Studios. The 37-year-old actor alleged that Perry, 56, created “a coercive, sexually exploitative dynamic” between the two while Dixon was starring on Perry’s showsThe Oval and Ruthless.

Now, in the October filing, Perry’s legal team argues that Dixon’s accusations and lawsuit rely “on Hollywood stereotypes and the bad acts of others,” as “Dixon distorts and tries to turn sinister Mr. Perry’s acts of platonic friendship and professional mentorship.”

“Dixon invents alleged assaults and encounters that never happened,” the filing states. 

“Mr. Perry never assaulted Dixon or committed any sexual battery. He did not offer Dixon pay raises and shoot Dixon’s television pilot script to threaten, coerce, or control Dixon,” the filing reads.

The filing continues: “And it is notable that in his effort to exploit his friendship and professional relationship with Mr. Perry to obtain a $260 million payday, Dixon was forced to lie not only about Mr. Perry, but himself too.”

The filing further alleges that the suit is about “Dixon’s greed and avarice, not Mr. Perry’s alleged and nonexistent harassment or abuse.” 

The filing goes on to state that Perry “looks forward to refuting each and every false accusation in court.”

Perry’s team alleged that Dixon did not “file this lawsuit because of anything Mr. Perry did,” claiming that Dixon took the legal action because Perry was not able to sell Dixon’s television pilot to Netflix, per the filing.

Additionally, Perry’s team argues that Dixon filed the lawsuit in the wrong state. Dixon filed in California, but Perry’s team said the claims should have been filed in Georgia, where their production was filmed. Previously, the case was moved from the Los Angeles County Superior Court to a California federal court.

“By his actions and false accusations, it is clear that Dixon needs help. But he cannot find it in this Court,” the filing claims. “Although Dixon alleges that he was the victim of escalating sexual misconduct, he had no problem taking a role on Season 2 of Mr. Perry’s television series The Oval.”

Dixon’s attorney, Jonathan J. Delshad, issued a statement to PEOPLE in response to Perry’s motion on Monday, Oct. 13. “Perry’s filing provides no evidence to corroborate that the text messages in our complaint are fabricated,” Delshad said. “Our complaint includes text messages where Mr. Perry made explicit sexual remarks to Mr. Dixon, questioned him about his sex life, and dangled professional opportunities based on those interactions.” 

“No employer has the right to manipulate or threaten an employee’s livelihood based on sexual expectations,” Delshad said. “We are certain that we will be able to prove to a jury that sexual harassment, assault, and battery absolutely happened.”

“I am convinced that Mr. Dixon is not the only one and that soon others will be sharing stories about Mr. Perry,” Delshad continued. “My client is not intimidated by wealth, influence or the celebrity status of Mr. Perry. Nobody is above the law. We are committed to holding Mr. Perry accountable to the full extent of the law.”

Dixon previously claimed he and Perry met in September 2019 while working at the opening party for Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta. Over the next few months, Perry often texted him, sometimes with suggestive advances, but also that he wanted to find Dixon a job and change his life, Dixon alleged in the complaint. 

By November 2019, Dixon claimed that Perry offered him a small role on Ruthless and allegedly sexually assaulted him at Perry’s home in January 2020. The next month, Perry offered Dixon a series regular role on The Oval, according to the complaint.

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In the filing, Dixon then recounted a moment after filming The Oval, when Perry invited him to his trailer. Perry allegedly pinned Dixon to the wall and began “aggressively groping Dixon’s buttocks in a sexual motion.”

Dixon claimed that he was similarly groped during a cast trip to the Bahamas in October 2020. Two months later, he visited a physician “who indicated that Dixon’s exhibited severe symptoms of acute stress, insomnia, stomach issues, and dangerously low cortisol levels due to the sexual harassment and assault” and prescribed him Zoloft, an antidepressant, Dixon alleged.

Perry allegedly invited Dixon to his house again in June 2021 to discuss Dixon’s pilot for his show Losing It, where Perry allegedly sexually assaulted Dixon, per the complaint.

In January 2023, Dixon informed Perry that he was moving to California to “put some distance” between them.

Although Dixon continued to star on The Oval, he left during the show’s final season. That decision, he claimed, resulted in him losing out on close to $400,000.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.