Lawsuit alleges Fayetteville car dealer paid to cover up sexual misconduct

The suit, which was filed Friday by a former employee, seeks more than $250,000 in damages from Reed-Lallier Chevrolet and owners Gene Reed and Mike Lallier.

Lallier was charged Sept. 5 with sexual abuse involving a 15-year-old boy during a NASCAR race weekend in Darlington, S.C.

The former employee, identified in the lawsuit as "John Doe" to protect the identity of the alleged abuse victim, said he helped report the incident to police and was later fired from Reed-Lallier Chevrolet.

The lawsuit alleges a long "history of collusion" involving Lallier and Reed, his father-in-law, accusing Lallier of paying off at least seven young male employees to keep quiet after he had or had demanded sex with them. All of the men were paid at least $25,000 and one was paid $450,000, according to the suit.

Lallier's attorney didn't return phone calls Monday seeking comment.