A FEMALE exec at a luxury champagne firm was allegedly told she needed “anti-seduction” training and was “gagging for it” to land a promotion.
Maria Gasparovic is accusing French drinks powerhouse Moët Hennessy of sexual harassment, gender discrimination and unfair dismissal in a £1.1million lawsuit.
Maria Gasparovic, a former Moët Hennessy exec, was sacked last June[/caption]
Gasparovic claims the comments were made by her then-boss Jean-Marc Lacave (pictured)[/caption]
Moët Hennessy — the elite drinks arm of luxury conglomerate LVMH – owns brand like the iconic Moët Chandon champagne[/caption]
Gasparovic was former chief of staff to the firm’s global head of distribution Jean-Marc Lacave, and was fired in June last year.
According to a Financial Times bombshell article, Gasparovic claims the comments were made by Lacave himself.
These include allegations that she missed out on a promotion because a client had described her as “gagging for it”, and that she should undergo “anti-seduction coaching” to move up the corporate ladder.
She is seeking €1.3 million (around £1.1m) in damages and compensation through France’s employment tribunal system.
Moët Hennessy — the elite drinks arm of luxury conglomerate LVMH — has strenuously denied the allegations and hit back with its own lawsuit, accusing Gasparovic of defamation after she aired the accusations on social media.
Those posts have since been taken down, and a defamation trial is reportedly set for autumn.
An LVMH spokesperson has shared with The Sun the full letter from Moët Hennessy’s CEO Jean-Jacques Guiony to all members of staff.
In it, Mr Guiony addressed the recent allegations regarding the company’s treatment of women and its culture.
He claims Gasparovic’s contract was terminated due to her “destructive behavior”, and she subsequently launched a press campaign, leading Moët Hennessy to file a libel suit.
The letter claims that Gasparovic’s actions were a manipulative attempt to gain financial compensation and invoke whistleblower status after her initial strategy failed.
Mr Guiony went on to emphasise his commitment to continuing this positive cultural shift and upholding a supportive environment at Moët Hennessy.
The Sun has also asked LVMH for a comment on the matter.
In her termination letter, cited by the FT, the company claimed she impersonated a colleague on a call while on sick leave and made threats to other staff — charges she flatly denies.
Before her dismissal, Gasparovic had submitted a whistleblower report, alleging harassment and discrimination at the Paris HQ.
But according to her legal complaint, the company failed to launch a formal investigation into her claims.
The New York Post reports that Gasparovic further alleges Moët’s then-CEO Philippe Schaus ordered HR to dig into her personal life, believing she was having an affair with a colleague — a claim she says was part of a broader “boys club” atmosphere.
“Private life is protected by law in France,” she told the FT.
“Dignity matters, especially for women at work.”
The lawsuit has dragged Moët Hennessy into a bubbling scandal just as it’s grappling with broader turbulence.
Moët Hennessy denies claims and hit back with lawsuit accusing her of defamation[/caption]
Moët’s former COO Mark Stead — who is reportedly in a relationship with Gasparovic — was fired shortly after accompanying her to HR meetings.[/caption]
A dozen insiders reportedly told the FT the workplace culture had become toxic — with bullying, burnout and staff “disappearing overnight” on sick leave.
At least 20 employees were signed off long-term in 2024 alone, according to the Daily Mail.
One anonymous source reportedly said bosses would “scream at people like it was a fashion house in the 1990s — except we are in 2025. That behaviour is no longer acceptable.”
Several other women have reportedly left the company after facing similar treatment. At least four former female staffers accused Moët of harassment and bullying before exiting, three of whom later settled employment tribunal claims, according to the FT.
In one case, after a female employee told HR that false rumours were circulating about her sleeping with a male exec to advance her career, she was allegedly told simply to “get used to it”.
Even Moët’s former COO Mark Stead — who is reportedly in a relationship with Gasparovic — was fired shortly after accompanying her to HR meetings.
He was accused of misusing company expenses, though his supporters suspect retaliation, according to Daily Mail.
The case is expected to go before a French employment tribunal later this year.
Full message from Moët Hennessy CEO to all staff
Dear Moët Hennessy teams,
You may have seen or heard about an article published by the Financial Times regarding Moët Hennessy.
I am deeply disappointed by this not only because it harms our reputation, but above all because the allegations made are unacceptable.
I would like to share some context.
Maria Gasparovic appears to hold considerable resentment toward Moët Hennessy, driven by personal ambition that led her to believe she could claim a position that did not exist at the time and was eventually not opened due to budgetary constraints. Her behavior, following that decision, changed drastically: she claimed to have been subject to sexist discrimination, she began making comments and sharing posts that can be construed as bullying and these were directed to employees and clients.
As a member of the Distribution Executive team she was privy to confidential information and in addition had access to personal information pertaining to colleagues, to which she did not apply the required confidentiality measures. Holding such a position she should have disclosed information regarding her personal situation and personal relations as a conflict of interest, but did not do so.
She created an environment that was destructive and Moët Hennessy had no choice but to terminate her contract even if some of the above-mentioned elements and others, like threats of blackmail, were only brought to light subsequently.
Instead of challenging her termination in court, she started a press campaign and MH had no choice but to file a libel suit based on these false allegations. In 2025, she finally challenged her termination in court and MH will strongly defend the case. Ultimately, Maria Gasparovic chose to exploit a situation that she herself created – one rooted in her personal agenda and which is now being used in an attempt to justify financial compensation. After her strategy failed, she attempted to invoke whistleblower status, again manipulating the systems that are intended to protect.
This behavior, both toward our company and certain colleagues, was clearly at adds with our values. These actions took place outside of any formal oversight and were facilitated by the complacency of a few individuals, and even to the point of intentional support from others.
Such conduct cannot be tolerated. This is the reason of her departure.
With regard to the place of women in our company, I cannot accept the attacks directed at my predecessor, Philippe Schous, whose behavior was beyond reproach in all interactions. Philippe spent considerable time embedding a vision and values that were in keeping with equity. Philippe was instrumental in appointing women to some key critical roles, that today sit at the COMEX of MH, such as the EVP of Human Resources, the President for Maison Moët, the CFO, and a new Regional President for Asia.
Since 2020, we have successfully achieved gender parity at Executive and Manager level rising from 45 to 50% in less than 5 years. He initiated a genuine cultural shift at Moët Hennessy one that has brought greater equity and diversity to our organization.
This is a commitment I fully intend to carry forward as President of Moët Hennessy.
I will never tolerate such behavior.
Like you, I believe in our core values, and I will not accept them being called into question.
Seeing these values misrepresented in the press is not only disappointing to me but I know it is also deeply unsettling for all of you who work so hard to uphold them. I share your frustration and concern that the press has failed to accurately and fairly represent events.
I understand that these accusations, along with commentary about our culture, may raise concerns.
I want to underscore that Moët Hennessy is committed to continuously upholding a positive and supportive environment for all.
Jean-Jacques Guiony,
President and CEO, Moët Hennessy.
