Fourteen former employees of Black Butte Ranch, an upscale private resort near Sisters, Oregon, settled a sexual abuse lawsuit against the ranch for $5.5 million in June 2026. The Black Butte Ranch lawsuit accused a longtime server and supervisor at the resort’s Robert’s Pub, Glenn Michael Woosley, of groping and sexually harassing subordinate workers for years, and accused resort management of knowing about his conduct and failing to stop it.1Bend Source. $5.5 Million Settlement Resolves Black Butte Ranch Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Brought by 14 Former Employees
What the Workers Said Happened at Robert’s Pub
Woosley worked at Robert’s Pub for nearly four decades as both a server and a supervisor, and was known among homeowners and guests as “Mr. Black Butte.” The complaint, filed in Deschutes County Circuit Court as case number 24CV31082, alleged he used that status and his supervisory authority to abuse younger, subordinate employees.1Bend Source. $5.5 Million Settlement Resolves Black Butte Ranch Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Brought by 14 Former Employees
The alleged conduct included grabbing and fondling employees’ buttocks and genitals, slapping workers with a wooden spoon, rubbing himself against a victim, fondling a breast, sniffing employees’ necks, and making explicit sexual propositions. Woosley also allegedly questioned employees about their sexuality, made racist comments, and offered sexual acts to coworkers. Several of the workers were minors at the time.2KTVZ. Complaint, Case No. 24CV31082
Plaintiff Brody Anderson described the harassment as “a daily thing… for all the victims.”3Nugget Newspaper. Black Butte Ranch Faces $13.5 Million Lawsuit Other reporting indicated that complaints about Woosley’s behavior went back as far as 2007 and 2008.4Central Oregon Daily. Black Butte Ranch Sexual Abuse Settlement
What Managers Were Accused of Doing
The suit didn’t target Woosley alone. It named Black Butte Ranch Corporation, the Black Butte Ranch Association, and several managers and executives, alleging they knew about the conduct and failed to act. The individuals included Robert’s Pub manager Georgio Milan Glinsky, food and beverage assistant manager Susan Pasquetti, general manager Charles “Chip” Carter, human resources director Patti L. Ribb, and then-CEO Shawn McCance.2KTVZ. Complaint, Case No. 24CV31082
When plaintiff Michael Zoormajian Jr. reported to Glinsky that Woosley had touched him inappropriately, Glinsky allegedly said he would give Woosley “a very stern warning.” When Zoormajian raised going to the police, Glinsky allegedly warned him: “It is very possible for them to turn it back on you, because it happened to me. Don’t go to the police.” Glinsky gave similar advice to plaintiff Shelby Sager after she reported being assaulted. Pasquetti allegedly confronted Sager in the kitchen in front of other staff, asked if she was “okay with it now,” and laughed. Carter allegedly witnessed Woosley make a sexually explicit remark about young employees and walked away laughing.2KTVZ. Complaint, Case No. 24CV31082
According to the complaint, even after Black Butte Ranch Police Chief Jason VanMeter met with McCance on July 11, 2022, to inform him a criminal investigation had been opened, the resort allowed Woosley to keep working at Robert’s Pub for several days before placing him on administrative leave and eventually firing him.2KTVZ. Complaint, Case No. 24CV31082 Plaintiff Colin Palmer told reporters he had reported being groped to managers, but “nothing changed.” The plaintiffs’ attorneys argued that the resort’s reliance on a revolving door of young, seasonal staff created what they called “a perfect atmosphere for a sexual predator.”5KBND. Nine Former Employees Sue Resort for Sexual Harassment
How the Case Grew
The lawsuit was filed on June 27, 2024, by nine former employees seeking $13.5 million. It raised claims of gender and sex discrimination, hostile work environment, sexual assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligence.2KTVZ. Complaint, Case No. 24CV31082 The plaintiffs were represented by Portland firms Kafoury & McDougal and Pickett Dummigan Weingart LLP, with attorneys Jason Kafoury and Christopher Larsen leading the case.
In October 2024, four more former employees joined, bringing the plaintiff count to 13 and the damages sought to $19.5 million.6KTVZ. Four More Former Employees Join $19.5 Million Suit Against Black Butte Ranch A 14th plaintiff joined before the case resolved.1Bend Source. $5.5 Million Settlement Resolves Black Butte Ranch Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Brought by 14 Former Employees
How the $5.5 Million Settlement Was Funded
Paying the settlement was not straightforward. Black Butte Ranch held what is known as a “wasting policy,” an insurance arrangement in which defense costs eat into the available coverage as litigation progresses. By the time the case resolved, the insurance had been reduced to roughly $1.2 million, well short of the $5.5 million settlement.7Nugget Newspaper. Black Butte Ranch Settles Sex Abuse Lawsuit8OregonLive. Employees of Oregon’s Upscale Black Butte Resort Settle for $5.5M in Sexual Harassment Lawsuit
To close the gap, the resort asked its homeowners to approve a loan for the remainder. Black Butte Ranch is a private residential community of roughly 1,200 homes whose owners hold shares in the resort, so a financial commitment of this size required their approval. More than 90 percent voted in favor of the loan, which will be repaid over five years through various ranch revenue sources.1Bend Source. $5.5 Million Settlement Resolves Black Butte Ranch Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Brought by 14 Former Employees
Kafoury said his clients were “grateful to finally have closure and to be moving forward with their lives,” and thanked the homeowners who “stepped forward to help ensure these former employees were fairly compensated.” Larsen said he was “very proud of all our young clients who remained committed to holding these wealthy and powerful defendants accountable for the years of sexual abuse and trauma inflicted upon them.”1Bend Source. $5.5 Million Settlement Resolves Black Butte Ranch Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Brought by 14 Former Employees CEO Kyle Cummings, who took over from McCance in February 2024, said the settlement “represents a meaningful step forward toward closure and healing for the former employees and for the Ranch.”7Nugget Newspaper. Black Butte Ranch Settles Sex Abuse Lawsuit
The Criminal Case Against Woosley
The civil suit followed a criminal prosecution that began when three employees reported Woosley to police in 2022. In June 2023, Woosley pleaded no contest to two counts of third-degree sexual abuse and one count of harassment. He served 30 days in jail and was placed on 18 months of probation.1Bend Source. $5.5 Million Settlement Resolves Black Butte Ranch Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Brought by 14 Former Employees
As of mid-2026, Woosley also faces a separate felony charge of first-degree sexual abuse, with a trial scheduled for July 2026. That criminal case remains pending and is separate from the civil settlement.7Nugget Newspaper. Black Butte Ranch Settles Sex Abuse Lawsuit