Live Nation Entertainment is being sued for negligence after a man allegedly assaulted an intoxicated 16-year-old girl at a Wiz Khalifa and Seal Paul concert last year in southwest suburban Tinley Park.
In a news conference Tuesday in the Loop, attorney Molly Wells said Live Nation failed to uphold its security duties during the concert as the girl was sexually assaulted in an area that was meant to be closed off. The suit also alleges the venue failed to ensure that alcohol would not be provided to or consumed by minors.
“The restricted area was open. The cameras weren’t being watched. A minor was given alcohol,” Wells said. “Those are violations that Live Nation allowed to happen and actively participated in.”
A spokesperson for Live Nation said in a statement they “cooperated fully” with law enforcement in the case.
“The safety and security of our guests is our top priority,” the company said in the statement. “As this matter involves ongoing litigation, we do not have anything further to share at this time.”
The minor, identified in the lawsuit under the pseudonym Jane Doe, attended the concert at Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre on July 22, 2025, when Roman Basso allegedly followed her while going to the bathroom, according to the suit, filed Tuesday in Cook County Circuit Court.
Basso led the girl to a restricted, enclosed area, where he allegedly sexually assaulted her, the suit says. Basso was later charged with aggravated criminal sexual assault and bodily harm in February, according to the complaint. Basso’s case is ongoing.
The then-16-year-old from Cincinatti, Ohio, was intoxicated during the sexual assault after being given alcohol that her friend’s mother purchased from vendors at the venue, according to the lawsuit, which seeks $150,000 in damages .
This case is not just about one family, Wells said.
“Concert season is coming. And many of those venues are run by Live Nation. These parents deserve to know that the company that is taking their money is taking care of the children that are coming to their venue,” Wells said.
Live Nation has a history of major security incidents at its events, the suit alleged.
In 2017, Live Nation promoted the Ariana Grande concert during which 22 people were killed after a suicide bomber carried out an attack outside the venue. Later that same year, Live Nation promoted a Jason Aldean concert in Las Vegas where 60 people were killed and approximately 867 people were injured in a mass shooting.
The Astroworld Festival, where 10 people died after a crowd rushed to the stage, was also hosted by Live Nation.
Wells told the Sun-Times that parents should be proactive when sending their children to Live Nation events, but the company still has the legal responsibility to follow security protocol.
“Ask whether that venue has adequate security. Ask whether they actually restrict areas that are supposed to be restricted,” Wells said.
