'Southern Charm' Star Thomas Ravenel Pays $80K To Anti-Rape Charity In Sexual Assault Settlement

Former Southern Charm star Thomas Ravenel has settled the sexual assault lawsuit filed against him by his children’s former nanny, Dawn Ledwell.

According to court documents obtained by The Blast, the two parties hashed out a confidential deal in July 2019. Per the docs filed on October 4, the 57-year-old agreed to pay a total of $125,000 — Ledwell’s $45,000 lawyer’s fees and an $80,000 donation in her name to the nonprofit People Against Rape.

As part of the deal, Dawn will drop her civil suit against the ex-reality star.

Ravenel was arrested in September 2018 after being accused of assault by Dawn, who cared for his daughter Kensie and son Saint, shared with his ex Kathryn Dennis.

Additionally, Ledwell named show producers and Bravo as defendants in the suit, claiming they should be partially liable for damages for failing to provide adequate security to her and others who appeared on the series.

In court papers obtained by Radar Online, she claimed the show encouraged plot lines focused on alcohol, sex, and the concept “that male cast members, including Defendant Ravenel, suffer from ‘Peter Pan Syndrome’ and they are the ‘Lost Boys’ and Charleston is their ‘Neverland.'”

In settlement documents, the ex Bravolebrity explained his side of the alleged January 2015 incident:

“My friends and I had dinner and drinks. I do not recall exactly how much alcohol I drank that night, but by my recollection, I was intoxicated upon my return home. When I returned home, I made an unwelcome advance toward Dawn, which she rebuffed. Instead, she helped me upstairs to my room, offered me a back rub, and then left.”

He continued, stating:

“I reiterate that I have never intentionally sexually assaulted anyone, I also acknowledge that by making an unwelcome advance to Dawn in my home, while she was babysitting my daughter, I behaved improperly and caused her immediate and lasting emotional distress. I unqualifiedly apologize for having done so. She has asked that rather than pay any money to her and settlement of her claims, I make a donation in her name to the charity of her choice, and I have gladly done so.”

Ledwell ultimately stopped working for the former politician at the end of 2015, which was when he apparently became aware the incident with his nanny had not been welcome:

“At the end of 2015 after Kathryn had given birth to her second child, when she and I briefly reconciled, I believe we needed more than one nanny to assist us. I did not communicate this particularly deftly to Dawn, and this caused a rift between us but ultimately became irreconcilable and resulted in her ending her employment with me.

It was around this time but I first became aware that Dawn perceived my unwelcome advance as an assault. I did not intentionally assault her, I did apologize to her, and I offered her a severance payment and asked that she signed a non-disparagement agreement, both of which she declined.”

Hmm… $125K seems like a lot of money for someone to pay if they don’t feel at all guilty… or is it??

Thoughts, Perezcious readers?

[Image via FayesVision/WENN.]