LOS ANGELES — Adult stars Mia Malkova, Lexi Belle, Tasha Reign and six other performers represented by LA Direct Models have filed claims with the California Labor Commission’s office over unpaid wages against Jay Stern and his company, Modern Apple Entertainment.
Modern Apple and Stern, whose real name is Jorge Sanchez, owe $8,775 to the performers, LA Direct said in a release this morning.
According to each of the models’ claims, Modern Apple Entertainment, which also operates as Ruined Panties and Gamerette Gazette Quarterly, failed to pay modeling fees travel expenses and booking fees for scenes shot in November and December 2015.
LA Direct said that the claims against Modern Apple and Sanchez could reach up to 30 times the unpaid wages — $294,810 — for failure to pay on time, according to the California Labor Code laws.
“Direct Models has retained attorney Karen Tynan to assist its clients in fully pursuing all legally available remedies and claims to resolve any and all failure to pay and or failure to pay timely, for the employment procured by the agency on their behalf,” said Derek Hay, owner of LA Direct Models.
“With the new and increased powers of enforcement granted to the Labor Commissioners on Jan. 1, 2016, assets of the employer including personal real estate may be seized to satisfy a ruling favorable to the employees by that office.”
Also filing complaints are LA Direct Models’ Adria Rae, Marley Brinx, Kinsley Eden, Danny Mountain, Stacy Jay and Chloe Amour, Hay said.
Hay said the issue began in November 2015, when Modern Apple booked and shot approximately 10 LA Direct models — both male and female — during a short period of time with Sanchez requesting a special dispensation from the agency.
“He asked that we allow him to pay for all of the shoots at once, on a ‘payroll’ basis, after the shoots were completed,” Hay said. “We extended Mr. Sanchez this courtesy, as he had previously been a trusted client — under the condition that no model be paid later than 14 days from the date of their shoot, per Direct Models policy that it can never take more than 14 days for a model to receive payment for any shoot.
“After much nonsense it has now become clear that Mr. Sanchez does not intend to remit payment for these shoots, the amount of which is significant.”
Hay said that the full-service adult talent agency is affirming its support of its models in their action and offering to assist any of its other talent with similar claims against Sanchez and Modern Apple.
