June 2, 2016
LOS ANGELES(AFP) - An award-winning Hungarian pianist who was doing post-graduate studies in California is suing one of her professors, alleging he pressured into a sexual relationship in exchange for better grades.
Tunde Krasznai, who was studying on a Fulbright Scholarship at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), states in her suit filed on Tuesday that she had agreed to the professor's advances out of fear that he would flunk her and ruin her career as a pianist.
She is seeking unspecified damages.
The music professor, Robert Winter, as well as the regents of the University of California, who were also named in the suit, could not be immediately reached for comment.
According to the suit, Krasznai met Winter in the spring of 2014 when she enrolled in one of his classes.
"(Winter) immediately began engaging in grooming behavior and identified Ms. Krasznai as a sexual target," the suit states.
He also allegedly asked her to play for him privately rather than in front of the class.
Krasznai said in her suit that another professor warned her about Winter as he had a reputation of spending time with female graduates.
She said that her relationship with Winter began in November 2014 after he invited her to stay overnight at his apartment. By that time, he had also helped her obtain a student visa to stay in the United States.
"After being pressured to and having had sex with Winter, Winter retroactively changed the grade that Krasznai received in his course from a B+ to an A," the suit alleges.
It adds that Krasznai from then on agreed to spend three nights a week at Winter's apartment to have sex and that he became upset when she socialized with male students and Hungarian friends.
Concerned about her student visa, Krasznai continued having sex with Winter until June of last year, the suit states.
Krasznai is a noted Hungarian pianist who began competing at age 10, winning a number of international awards.
