Former staffer accuses Florida Republican Fabian Basabe of sexually assaulting a man in his Miami home

A new lawsuit against the Florida House of Representatives accuses a Republican state congressman of sexually assaulting a young man in his twenties.

The Florida House of Representatives has acquitted Rep. Fabian Basabe, a freshman from Miami Beach, of sexual harassment allegations brought by former staffers Nicolas Frevola and Jacob Cutbirth. However, both accusers are still in court and have now filed suit against the House chamber.

The lawsuit cites many previously public allegations, including that Basabe grabbed Frevola's butt at an event and told him, “I want the whole butt,” and that he tried to kiss Cutbirth after the intern drove him to his Tallahassee hotel. Both Frevola and Cutbirth identify as heterosexual.

But the latest lawsuit also makes new allegations: Frevola allegedly saw Basabe making advances toward a friend in his home. In the lawsuit, Frevola claims Basabe caught him and a friend named “Shiloh” in his Miami home in December 2022. The lawsuit identifies that friend, who was not an employee of the Florida Legislature, as DD

The complaint states that Basabe asked several men at the party to swim in their underwear, and that the deputy then began “groping DD and attempting to kiss him.” DD initially protested, saying, “That's not who I am,” but Frevola said he later saw Frevola drag the young man toward his house.

“After DD was visibly intoxicated, Frevola saw Basabe grab DD by the arm and pull him up the pool steps and into the interior of his home,” the complaint states. “Frevola was unsure why Basabe brought DD to his home, but he felt uncomfortable doing so because Basabe was physically aggressive toward DD, Frevola knew DD was heterosexual, and DD was visibly intoxicated.”

Frevola said he tried to intervene, but a male colleague of Basabe intervened and stopped him.

Frevola stayed in the pool house and went out the next morning to find his friend and Basabe to prepare him for a career information day at an elementary school.

“When Frevola got into Basabe's bedroom, he saw DD, who was naked, get out of bed and lie down on the floor to get his underwear, which he then put on,” he said. “After DD put on his underwear, which was still wet from the night before, he and Frevola went to the back to the pool house, where DD put on the rest of his clothes that he had taken off the night before to go into the pool, and Frevola asked DD what happened and DD started crying and said he didn't want to talk about it.”

In his complaint, Frevola said he believed Basabe sexually assaulted DD while drunk.

Basabe denied all allegations in the lawsuit.

“Although no charges were ever filed for a false allegation mentioning my name due to a lack of evidence, and two third-party investigations have produced nothing conclusive, this is clearly yet another disgraceful, politically and financially motivated allegation attempting to discredit my character just before my primary election day next Tuesday. The goal is to push my Republican opponent in the primary into a general election where she has absolutely no chance,” Basave said. “This is dirty politics at its worst!”

The fact that such accusations are repeatedly made is irresponsible, he said.

“Those who print and produce this information are acting beyond malicious and defamatory at this point and I hope it is obvious that these ongoing slanders were never about the allegations, which are despicable and FALSE. Furthermore, I have refused the plaintiff's attempt to extort $50,000 from me in a 'disappear' agreement. I am an innocent victim, I will not settle, not today and not ever!

“I think it is important to note that the plaintiffs have collectively and conveniently not made themselves available for their sworn statements until after the election, on the grounds that those claiming to have suffered financial hardship will be on extended vacation for the next few months. However, it looks like allegations will continue to be fed to me, because as long as some people can talk, they can also lie, apparently without remorse. In the meantime, I continue to do my job without being distracted from my duties and campaign. It is a shame that there are no stricter laws against the marketing of unproven character assassination attempts, which I will look into after I win the two upcoming elections!”

Basabe won his primary last week after the new allegations emerged.

Cindy Myers, an attorney for Frevola and Cutbirth, said Basabe was not telling the truth and her clients have been available to testify since July 2023.

“The only reason they are being interviewed now is because I raised the issue during Basabe's July 24 interview that the plaintiffs were available and wanted to be interviewed and all he had to do was tell his attorney he could do that,” Myers said. “Only then did he say he wanted his attorney to interview them. This guy is cunning and will lie and obscure facts at every opportunity.”