A legal battle has erupted between Matt Danzeisen, the husband of tech billionaire Peter Thiel, and a private jet flight attendant over an alleged incident involving cooler bags. The flight attendant, Stefanie Bojar, claims Danzeisen "violently" threw cooler bags at her, causing her to fall and sustain injuries during a flight on July 27, 2024. Danzeisen's legal team, however, characterizes the accusations as an "extortion" attempt and a "shakedown."
According to Bojar's counterclaim, filed July 7 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, the incident occurred on a private jet flight from Sun Valley, Idaho, to Washington, D.C. Bojar alleges that Danzeisen, identified as the Head of Private Investments at Thiel Capital, became angry when a bathroom was temporarily obstructed by "several heavy cooler bags and kitchen equipment." Bojar states that as she moved the bags, Danzeisen "abruptly shoved her aside and, in a violent outburst, began throwing the cooler bags directly at her."
Bojar's lawsuit details that the bags struck her "left ankle, foot and leg, and causing her to lose her balance, fall backward against the cabin wall, and collapse to the floor." She also claims a grocery bag containing food and beverages was thrown, spilling its contents across the cabin. The alleged confrontation unfolded in the presence of Peter Thiel, a nanny, three children, and the aircraft captain.
Bojar's attorney, Elliott Jung of HHJ Trial Attorneys, stated that his client "was left lying on the floor in pain and in tears, humiliated in front of multiple witnesses and terrified that Danzeisen would emerge from the lavatory and attack her again." He further described the situation as "an unfortunate situation where we see the other side weaponizing the legal system to intimidate our client and put pressure on Stefanie."
Danzeisen's attorney, Alex Spiro, dismissed the lawsuit, telling Page Six, "This is a shakedown about a bag that bumped into someones leg and we do not payout to shakedowns so we will see everyone in court." He added that if a bag did brush Bojar's leg, it was an accident.
This counterclaim follows a lawsuit Danzeisen filed against Bojar in May, accusing her of a "campaign to extort" him and Thiel by seeking "millions because a soft fabric cooler bag allegedly made contact with her leg during a flight nearly two years ago." Danzeisen's suit claims that he moved the cooler bags to allow his child to use the restroom and that Bojar fabricated the story. According to Danzeisen's filing, witnesses stated that any contact with Bojar's leg was accidental.
Danzeisen's suit also alleges that Bojar initiated a "defamation campaign" and breached a confidentiality agreement by revealing passenger information and details of the alleged incident. The suit claims Bojar sent a demand letter threatening legal action and significant damages.
Bojar, who was employed by the couple since 2022 and had flown with them over 200 times, also claims she experienced "repeated verbal abuse and humiliation by Danzeisen during her assignments," alleging he "routinely yelled, belittled her, and created a hostile and intimidating environment."
Following the incident, Bojar sought medical attention and was diagnosed with a "longitudinal split tear of the peroneus brevis tendon of the left ankle," requiring surgery. She also reported injuries to her lumbar spine, left knee, ankle, and foot, necessitating ongoing orthopedic and psychological treatment. Bojar claims she is unable to return to her career as a flight attendant.
Further complicating the situation, Danzeisen's lawsuit asserts that Bojar filed a workers' compensation claim against the aircraft management company and has already received "six figures and counting" for the alleged accident.