A Penthouse Executive Club stripper claims a prominent investment analyst — who was instrumental in a $1 billion short sale against Herbalife — raped her in a private dance room at the W. 45th St. flesh emporium.
The woman’s new Manhattan civil lawsuit says former Pershing Square analyst Shane Dinneen invited her to join him in the VIP area around 11:30 p.m. on April 29.
The 35-year-old Midtown West resident paid the host for 30 minutes with the dancer. After the host left the room the 39-year-old stripper started dancing for Dinneen, the suit says.
Almost immediately Dinneen “unzipped his pants and pulled out his penis,” the suit says.
She told him to stop. Instead he jumped on top of her, according to court papers.
She screamed and yelled, but no one heard her, the suit says.
The stripper suggested they watch child porn in an effort to escape. The suit says Dineen “had a history and propensity for violence, sexual deviance and often attempted to obtain child pornography from agents or employees of Penthouse Executive Club once he became intoxicated.”
She eventually got the attention of club security, who rushed into the room and pulled Dinneen off of her, the suit says.
Her attorney, Keith White, told The Post that his client called the police that night.
But there’s no mention of police involvement in her civil suit and an NYPD spokesperson said she didn’t report the alleged rape until May 17– over two weeks after the alleged incident.
She was treated at Beth Israel Hospital, according to police. White said his client had a rape kit performed, but the results have been sealed by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office.
Dinneen has not been arrested or charged, but the NYPD’s Special Victims Unit is still investigating, according to a department spokesperson.
White said his client spoke with the Manhattan District attorney’s office just last week, but he doesn’t believe Dinneen will be charged.
“The reason why we decided to file this lawsuit is because we don’t have confidence that the Manhattan District Attorney is going to prosecute this type of defendant — a rich, white man,” White said.
DA Joan Vollero called the allegation baseless.
“”The office has a long track record of prosecuting sex crimes without regard to the identity, ethnicity or socioeconomic status of either the victim or defendant.”
Reached by telephone Dinneen said, “I’m not going to comment. I’m going to hang up now.”
He left Pershing Square Capital Management in 2014 after conducting research that exposed Herbalife as an alleged pyramid scheme.
At the time of his departure his boss, noted activist investor Bill Ackman, hailed Dinneen as “one of the most talented investment analysts I have ever worked with and someone I hold in high regard.”
The club is also named as a defendant. The suit says Penthouse is negligent for allowing to continue patronizing the club because he tried to attack another dancer before allegedly raping White’s client. A Penthouse rep declined to comment.
The suit seeks unspecified damages.
Additional reporting by Sarah Trefethen