John Johnson

Newser

Sexual harassment complaints aren't uncommon in the tech industry, but a new one at Yahoo is making headlines because of an unusual twist: A female executive is accused of coercing a female subordinate into sex.

The lawsuit filed by engineer Nan Shi says that her boss, mobile exec Maria Zhang, forced her into sex and then punished her with lousy performance reviews when Shi put a stop to it, reports the San Jose Mercury News.

When Shi reported it to Yahoo, the company put her on unpaid leave and eventually fired her, according to the lawsuit. It names Yahoo as a defendant, reports Reuters.

"Zhang told Plaintiff she would have a bright future at Yahoo if she had sex with her," says the complaint. "She also stated she could take away everything from her including her job, stocks, and future if she did not do what she wanted."

Both women joined Yahoo last year when it acquired a company founded by Zhang. Shi, a native of China, says Zhang ordered her to move into Yahoo housing in Sunnyvale, Calif., and soon moved in with her.

Yahoo is sticking by Zhang and says it will "fight vigorously to clear her name."

The suit is the latest in a string of harassment cases in the tech world, notes Business Insider, which has a roundup. (Last year, a tech-conference tweet led to controversy.)

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