SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — The Department of Justice announced that it has filed a Fair Housing Act lawsuit against a Savannah property owner for alleged sexual harassment.
Iraj Shambayati is being accused of sexually harassing multiple female tenants in Savannah and the surrounding Chatham County area and subjecting them to a hostile housing environment.
The complaint also lists his son, Daniel Shambayati, Akbar Keshavarz, 1511 Rosewood LLC and IDHD Properties LLC as defendants in the case due to being ‘vicariously liable’ for Iraj Shambayati’s conduct.
The lawsuit alleges the inappropriate conduct has been happening since at least 2008.
Iraj Shambayati is accused of demanding female tenants engage in sexual activities to keep or maintain housing by offering special benefits to female residents like rent reduction in exchange for sexual acts. Shambayati is also accused of making unwanted sexual and or physical advances and making intrusive, unannounced visits to female tenants.
The property owner would allegedly retaliate against female tenants who rejected his advances or refused to engage in sexual activity.
Anyone who believes that they may have been victims of sexual harassment or other types of housing discrimination at rental dwellings managed by Iraj Shambayati, or who have other information that may be relevant to this case, can contact the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination tip line at 1-833-591-0291 or online on The Department of Justice’s website.