SEATTLE — There’s a new lawsuit tied to secret cameras allegedly found at Expedia’s corporate offices.
Investigators said victims were videotaped while using the bathroom at Expedia’s Seattle campus. Now, a class action lawsuit claims Expedia’s security contractor Securitas knew about the secret cameras weeks before the authorities caught the suspect — a former Expedia worker.
Marcelo F. Vargas-Fernandez, a 42-year-old former Expedia employee, was charged with voyeurism after he allegedly placed two cameras underneath sinks in two all-gender restrooms on the campus between December 2023 and January 2024.
Previous coverage: Expedia to close Seattle offices for 3 days to up security after spy cam reports
The lawsuit claims an employee found what they thought was a camera in the bathroom last year.
Vincent Nappo, a partner with Seattle-based law firm PVCA representing the victims, told KIRO Newsradio Securitas did not act on that tip until six weeks later when another employee complained.
“You have a security company who is receiving complaints of that exact crime taking place and failing to do much of anything, as far as we can tell,” Nappo said.
The victims — all unidentified men and women — are seeking damages from Securitas for what the suit calls a “reckless” mishandling of a security breach.
“Secretly videoing people in their most intimate moments at the workplace, with full genitalia exposed, using the bathrooms, changing clothing,” Nappo explained.
While the man accused of placing the cameras is under criminal prosecution, the lawsuit aims to obtain and destroy all the footage.
“Our clients want to get complete information on exactly who was filmed, what was filmed, what happened to all that footage?” Nappo said.
It also wants Securitas to pay damages to the victims. The amount would be decided by a jury.
Background of investigation into hidden cameras at Expedia
In February, employees at Expedia’s Seattle headquarters said they were unaware of an investigation into cameras found in two bathrooms until the news surfaced online — weeks after the devices were first reported.
Expedia employees: We were left in the dark about bathroom spy cams
Detectives from the Seattle Police Department (SPD) said the cameras were placed specifically to “view the private use and genitalia of restroom users.” Security from Expedia first contacted SPD about the incidents on Jan. 11. After an investigation, police arrested Vargas-Fernandez on February 1 at his home in Lynnwood.
Screenshots of an employee-wide Slack channel within Seattle headquarters revealed many employees expressed shock and anger at the information.
“This definitely feels like something that should have been communicated to employees rather than buried,” one person remarked on the thread.
Another added, “I’d like to know which bathrooms. Shouldn’t we know if there are other potential victims?”
At least 10 victims, both male and female, have been identified so far, according to court filings. That number is expected to increase.
Contributing: Aaron Granillo, Sam Campbell and Kate Stone, KIRO Newsradio; Julia Dallas, MyNorthwest