Former hotel employee at Detroit Marriott was sexually harassed by manager, according to lawsuit

DETROIT (FOX 2) – A new lawsuit filed by a former employee of the Detroit Marriott Hotel at the Renaissance Center alleges the woman was sexually abused by her manager.

The perpetrator has since been arrested and charged with sexual abuse.

But according to the victim's lawyer, her new reality is a bad dream.

“This is every woman's or employee's worst nightmare: to be sexually assaulted and abused in the workplace,” said Jon Marko, who represents the victim.

Marko said the victim was manipulated by her manager, now identified as Durba Koirala.

The suspect then lured her into a hotel room where she was given something to drink. After consuming the drink, she lost consciousness.

“You have to imagine her situation: The assault and abuse happened in the workplace,” Marko said. “So when you go through a traumatic experience like this, you are sexually abused in the most horrific way you can imagine.”

After the attack in August 2023, she went to the police and agreed to a rape test. The DNA led investigators to Koirala.

A lawsuit filed by the victim questions the safety of the hotel's employees because Koirala had worked at other Marriott locations, arguing, among other things, that Marriott violated Michigan's Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act.

“What I really want to find out is if there are any other women – if this happened to them,” Marko said. “Because as far as I know, he was supposed to fly to Hawaii right after that, and he just flew in from another place.”

“So how many places has this guy been?”

According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, 60% of women have experienced sexual violence in the workplace. One in seven women has quit or looked for a new job.

The trauma associated with these reported experiences can lead to depression, PTSD, chronic illness, substance abuse, and suicide risk.

Marko said the hotel denied any responsibility.

“According to the claims adjuster in this case, he (Koirala) acted 'outside of his employment,'” Marko said.

FOX 2 reached out to both the Marriott Hotel and the Renaissance Center for comment but did not receive a response.