What did Christian Lanng do? Shocking slavery allegations against TradeShift CEO explored 

In an explosive lawsuit, Christian Lanng, the co-founder of the San Francisco tech company TradeShift, is accused of forcing his former assistant to sign a “slave contract” and subjecting her to years of abuse.

Trigger warning: This article explores details regarding s*xual abuse. Reader discretion is advised

According to a lawsuit filed Thursday, December 7, Christian Lanng allegedly forced his former employee to sign the slave contract just months after hiring her as his executive assistant in 2014.

The lawsuit comes months after Lanng was fired as TradeShift CEO earlier this year after management learned about s*xual misconduct allegations leveled against him.

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Allegations against TradeShift CEO Christian Lanng explored

According to the lawsuit cited in multiple reports, a woman identified as Jane Doe alleged that TradeShift CEO Christian Lanng subjected her to appalling “s*xual horror" while she was employed as his executive assistant in 2014.

According to the lawsuit, Lanng forced the victim to sign a slave contract just months after she was hired as his assistant. The victim allegedly complied as she “loved her job” and feared the opportunity to work a Tradeshift.

The lawsuit claimed that the alleged ‘slave contract’ contained depraved stipulations that included:

“Inflicting physical pain on her by various means, urinating on her and routinely penetrating her person with foreign objects.”

The copy of the contract filed with the lawsuit alleged that the victim was always expected to be available for her “master” and to never refuse his needs, even “when not wearing the [day] collar." In addition, the contract also stated that the victim referred to as a “slave” would not have any agency over her body, which would only belong to her “master.” Part of the contract said:

“The slave also agrees that once entered into the Slavery Contract, their body belongs to their master to be used as seen fit within the guidelines defined herein. All of the slave’s possessions likewise belong to the master, including all assets, finances, online accounts and material goods, to do with as they see fit.”

According to the copy, she was also allegedly subjected to routine punishments “whether earned or not,” which she was supposed to endure “without being angry, sullen or frustrated with her master” and she should thank him after. In return for her compliance, Lanng would allegedly ensure to avoid killing the victim or causing any permanent injury.

The contract said that the victim, who was allegedly expected to keep a “diary” with submissive entries, was beaten with a cane if she failed to document an encounter. The lawsuit also alleged that Lanng demanded that she keep her weight between 130 and 155 pounds and keep him apprised of her progress.

Furthermore, the contract said that whenever the victim, who was directed to always dress in a feminine manner, saw her “master” in private, she was expected to kneel and “ask if there is anything she can do for him."

The victim, who also named Tradeshift in the lawsuit, alleged that after she was fired in 2020, she complained to the company’s HR department about the “slave contract.” She reportedly claimed that the company did not heed her concerns.

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Christian Lanng denies allegations in the lawsuit

In response to the lawsuit, Tradeshift, in a statement to the New York Post, denied any implications of wrongdoing.

In October 2023, Tradeshift, which is valued at over a billion dollars, issued a statement announcing the dismissal of the CEO, Christian Lanng, after the “management team became aware of serious allegations of s*xual assault and harassment.”

The company said that Lanng was fired on September 1, 2023, for "gross misconduct on multiple grounds."

Meanwhile, Christian Lanng vehemently denied the allegations in a statement to the Post, saying he had a “consensual” s*xual relationship with a woman he met before she was hired to work for him as his assistant.

“In 2014, I made the grave error of judgment to hire someone I was dating and with whom I was engaged in a consensual s*xual relationship. While this did not constitute a violation of Tradeshift’s human resources policies, it was irresponsible to employ someone with whom I was romantically involved. I regret the decision. It was a foolish mistake that I will not repeat.”

Christian Lanng alleged her employment was terminated in 2020 during several rounds of layoffs.