Pennsylvania Landlord Venkatchalam Mani Faces Federal Lawsuit for S*xually Harassing Tenant and Retaliation
The US Department of Justice has sued Pennsylvania landlord Venkatchalam Mani for allegedly s*xually harassing a female tenant and retaliating against her after she rejected his advances. The lawsuit, filed in federal court following a HUD investigation, seeks damages and a permanent injunction against his discriminatory housing practices.
The United States Department of Justice has filed a federal lawsuit against Pennsylvania landlord Venkatchalam Mani, alleging that he subjected a female tenant to severe s*xual harassment and subsequently retaliated against her after she rejected his advances. The civil enforcement action, filed in the US District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, accuses the property owner of violating federal housing laws through a pattern of coercion, unwanted physical contact, and deliberate neglect of essential property repairs.
Allegations of Harassment and Retaliation
According to court documents, Mani - who operates rental property in the State College borough - made repeated unwelcome s*xual advances toward a female tenant residing in his building, which included instances of non-consensual s*xual touching. US Shocker: Detroit Sisters Attack Restaurant Employee, Stab Her With Knife Over Wrong Food Order; Arrested.
US Justice Department Sues Pennsylvania Landlord Over Alleged S*xual Harassment
The Justice Department announced today that it filed a lawsuit against Venkatachalam Mani, a landlord in State College, Pennsylvania, for sexually harassing a female tenant and retaliating against her when she refused his advances, in violation of the Fair Housing Act.
“The… pic.twitter.com/C8kuCWLagA
— DOJ Civil Rights Division (@CivilRights) August 5, 2026
When the tenant firmly rejected his advances, Mani allegedly retaliated by ignoring her repeated maintenance requests. Among the ignored issues was a broken heating furnace during the winter months, which ultimately malfunctioned to the point of catching fire, posing a severe safety hazard to the tenant and her children.
Federal Officials Emphasise Zero Tolerance
Law enforcement and federal authorities underscored their commitment to protecting tenants from discriminatory and exploitative housing practices. "The landlord failed to fix a tenant’s furnace despite freezing temperatures because the female tenant refused his s*xual advances, forcing her family to move out with no other place to live," Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K Dhillon of the department's Civil Rights Division said. She further added, "This conduct is illegal. The Justice Department will uphold the rights of female tenants to housing without the threat of s*xual harassment by a landlord,” reports justice.gov.
US Attorney Brian D Miller for the Middle District of Pennsylvania echoed this stance, stating, "Attempts to exploit tenants for s*xual favours, s*xual assault and retaliation by landlords will never be tolerated in the Middle District of Pennsylvania."
Investigation and Legal Path
The federal lawsuit follows an exhaustive investigation by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). After receiving an initial grievance from the affected tenant, HUD conducted a formal inquiry and issued an official charge of discrimination under the Fair Housing Act. Because the complainant elected to have the matter resolved in a federal forum rather than an administrative hearing, HUD referred the case to the Department of Justice to initiate civil proceedings. US Shocker: Administrative Assistant Has S*xual Contact With High School Student, Tells Victim 'I Am Crazy About You'; Arrested.
The federal lawsuit seeks comprehensive monetary damages to compensate the tenant and her children for distress and harm, alongside a permanent court injunction barring Mani from engaging in future discriminatory or retaliatory rental practices.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 06, 2026 05:58 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
