US sues Pennsylvania landlord over sexual harassment and retaliation claims

Washington,UPDATED: Aug 6, 2026 07:56 IST

The United States federal government has sued Venkatchalam Mani, the owner of a rental property in Pennsylvania, alleging that he sexually harassed a female tenant and retaliated against her after she refused his advances.

The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday in the US District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, seeks monetary damages for the tenant and her children, and a court order to bar future discrimination.

According to the lawsuit, Mani, a landlord in the State College borough, made unwelcome sexual advances towards the tenant, including sexual touching. It alleges that after she rejected his advances, he failed to respond to her repeated maintenance requests, including repairs to a broken furnace in the middle of winter that later caught fire.

"This conduct is illegal. The Justice Department will uphold the rights of female tenants to housing without the threat of sexual harassment by a landlord," said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K Dhillon of the department's Civil Rights Division.

"Attempts to exploit tenants for sexual favours, sexual assault and retaliation by landlords will never be tolerated in the Middle District of Pennsylvania," said US Attorney Brian D Miller for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

The case reached the Justice Department after the Department of Housing and Urban Development received a complaint from the tenant, carried out an investigation and issued a charge of discrimination. After the tenant chose to have the matter decided in federal court, HUD referred the case to the Department of Justice.

The lawsuit centres on allegations that Mani sexually harassed a tenant and then ignored maintenance requests after she refused him, with the federal government now seeking damages and an order to prevent future discrimination.

With PTI Inputs

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