UPDATE (Jan. 3, 2025): Significant developments have occurred in the legal battle between Kristina Sarhadi and Justin Cathal Geever, known as Justin Sane. On December 18, a judge from the Northern District of New York dismissed part of Sarhadi’s lawsuit that implicated Sane’s Anti-Flag bandmates – Chris Baker, Chris Head, and Pat Bollinger – as well as the band’s Hardwork Distribution LLC.

In the original lawsuit, it was contended that the alleged misconduct occurred during a hotel stay financed by the group, and therefore, they should be held liable for the actions of the singer. However, Judge Brenda K. Sannes ruled that there was insufficient legal grounds to hold the other band members responsible and that there was no proof they were aware of Sane’s alleged misconduct.

The lawsuit against Sane is set to proceed, but Sarhadi claims that the musician has left the country and has not yet responded to the legal action. His lack of response may lead to a default judgment being entered against him.

Justin Sane, the frontman of Anti-Flag, is currently facing a lawsuit alleging sexual assault. This lawsuit emerges amidst a challenging year for the band, which disbanded earlier this year following multiple accusations against Sane from women alleging predatory behavior, sexual assault, and statutory rape.

According to Rolling Stone, the lawsuit was initiated by Kristina Sarhadi, a holistic therapist and health coach based in New York. The legal action was officially filed on November 22 against Justin Geever, the real identity of the Anti-Flag frontman.

In her legal complaint, Sarhadi has named not only the musician but also the band’s distribution company, Hardwork Distribution LLC, while seeking an undisclosed amount in damages.

In her poignant statement, the plaintiff expressed, “Justin Geever exploited his status as a well-known, self-proclaimed ‘punk rock star’ to groom and entice vulnerable young women into feeling secure in his company. While he professed to champion the cause of protecting women and confronting abusers, it appears he concealed an insatiable need for power and control, inflicting harm on numerous women who have been unable to voice their experiences until now. Today, I aim to inspire both his survivors and those who have faced similar predatory behavior within the music industry to reclaim their hope.”

This is not the first time Sarhadi has publicly shared her experience with Geever. In July, she recounted her story on the Enough podcast, detailing an unsettling encounter in October 2010 with an unnamed activist punk musician who had assaulted her. Although she initially chose to withhold Geever’s identity, she later confirmed that it was the Anti-Flag vocalist.

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“It was the most terrifying experience of my life,” Sarhadi recounted during her podcast appearance. “The violence was unimaginable, and I genuinely feared for my life, believing he might kill me.”

In her harrowing narrative, she described attending a party with the musician, who subsequently invited her to his motel room to listen to an unreleased song. Once inside, she alleges that Geever restrained her and began to strangle her, ultimately forcing her to perform oral sex against her will.

According to the lawsuit, “When she was able to breathe, she repeatedly begged him to stop. Shocked and in tears, she felt dehumanized; he treated her as if she were merely an object for his domination.”

Following Sarhadi’s initial disclosure of her experience, Anti-Flag removed their social media profiles and announced their disbandment.

READ MORE: Former Anti-Flag Members Speak Out Against Singer Amid Sexual Assault Allegations

Despite Geever’s public denial of Sarhadi’s allegations, asserting that he has “never engaged in a sexual relationship that was not consensual,” a subsequent investigation by Rolling Stone in September revealed a troubling pattern of accusations from 12 women alleging predatory behavior, sexual assault, and statutory rape against the musician, with incidents dating back to the 1990s.

“Choosing to file a lawsuit requires immense courage and often feels unattainable for many survivors of sexual assault,” stated Sarhadi’s attorney, Karen Barth Menzies. “True accountability can only be realized when survivors stand up for themselves and support one another.”

The lawsuit has been filed under the New York Adult Survivors Act, which created a one-year period allowing victims of sexual offenses to pursue legal action against their abuser, irrespective of the statute of limitations. This critical window closes on Thursday, November 23.