A drag performer invited by Joe Biden to the White House was accused of sexual assault

Shangela, a renowned drag queen performer who has been invited to the White House, now finds himself in the middle of a scandal, facing disturbing new allegations of sexual assault. These allegations come just months after the 42-year-old was accused of rape.

Shangela, whose real name is Darius Jeremy Pierce, is being targeted by multiple people who claim to have been victims of sexual assault or attempted sexual relations without their consent while in states of intoxication, vulnerability and confusion.

The five people who claimed they were allegedly assaulted between the ages of 18 and 23 revealed that it took them months to realize the true nature of what had happened to them. But they finally decided to report. The alleged assaults occurred between 2012 and 2018 and reportedly took place in Louisiana, Texas, California and the United Kingdom.

One of the most resonant allegations comes from a young man named Helmer, who claimed to have been sexually assaulted by Shangela in 2017 after a night of partying in Los Angeles. Helmer filed his complaint with the police in June 2023, but a procedural error delayed the process.

Another shocking accusation comes from Edward Ramírez, who recounts an incident that occurred in 2018 in Texas, where he claims that Shangela attacked him in a bathroom after a night of partying, taking advantage of his unconscious state. Despite his refusal and apparent lack of consent, Ramírez alleges that Shangela persisted in his advances.

The third allegation comes from a London-based musician known as Checri, who claims Shangela attempted non-consensual anal penetration during a hotel stay in 2017. Checri, like other victims, recounts a traumatic and distressing experience that has left a deep mark on his life.

A fourth individual, Zachary, 32, also reported experiencing an abrupt awakening during a state of deep intoxication when Pierce and another man allegedly attempted to force anal penetration. The assault reportedly occurred in 2015 during a six-day event in New Orleans celebrating queer culture.

The fifth accuser, RoyLee Soliz, 32, claims he met Pierce in 2012 at a post-performance gathering at Texas A&M University in Kingsville, where a Pride event was taking place. Soliz, who was 20 at the time, maintains that Pierce invited them to a non-school-related show at a club called the Vault in Corpus Christi. Soliz, who was 20 years old at the time, alleges that during that night, Pierce sexually assaulted him.

These new accusations add to the previous complaint filed by Daniel McGarrigle, a production assistant who worked on the HBO show "We're Here," who accused Shangela of rape in 2023. However, the civil suit was dismissed without prejudice after the parties reached a settlement in February.

Guest at the White House

The drag artist, who has tried to build an image as an activist for the LGBTQ+ community, was personally invited by Vice President Kamala Harris to a Pride Month event organized in her home in 2022. Pierce made history by being the first to attend an event at the vice president's residence while dressed in drag.

Later, President Joe Biden also invited the artist to the White House to attend the signing of the Respect for Marriage Act.