Riverview Mayor Michael Cornell
ST. LOUIS —A former employee of the village of Riverview has filed a lawsuit accusing Riverview Mayor Michael Cornell of repeated sexual harassment, gender discrimination and retaliatory termination.
Cornelius Thompson, claims all of this occurred during his brief employment with the city’s Parks and Recreation division in the summer of 2024, according to the June 8 complaint filed in St. Louis Circuit Court.
Thompson, 19, claims Cornell, who was serving as both the mayor and Thompson’s direct supervisor, subjected him to a hostile work environment through repeated sexual comments, advances and physical contact.
Thompson, a college student who had recently completed his first year and was seeking summer employment, claims that Cornell offered him a job and even volunteered to transport him to and from work.
The court documents state that shortly after Thompson began his employment in May 2024, Cornell began making inappropriate comments, including disclosures about his own sexual preferences and alleged sexual involvement with another male coworker.
The petition further alleges that between June 18 and July 26, 2024, Cornell yelled sexually explicit remarks at Thompson while he was on duty, made repeated sexual propositions and even offered financial incentives — including help paying off his ROTC contract and promises of high-paying job opportunities — to persuade Thompson to engage in a sexual relationship.
One of the most serious allegations includes an incident in which Cornell allegedly offered to drive Thompson home and during the ride, reached over and grabbed Thompson’s chest.
Thompson says he rejected the advance and made it clear he was not interested, after which Cornell remained silent for the remainder of the drive.
The petition states that after repeated rejections, Thompson was suspended for insubordination, allegedly for speaking directly to the Chief of Police, a violation of orders from Cornell.
Shortly thereafter, Cornell allegedly appeared uninvited at Thompson’s grandmother’s home to demand that Thompson return to work to sign termination papers.
When Thompson’s mother questioned the legality of the firing, Cornell allegedly shoved her and claimed he was “a very powerful man” with connections to the mafia, according to the suit.
The lawsuit claims that gender was a contributing factor in the treatment Thompson received and that Riverview failed to take proper action to prevent or address the harassment.
It also reveals that Cornell had previously been charged with felony sexual assault involving a young male victim, and later pled guilty to impersonating a police officer in relation to the case.
This lawsuit surfaces amid growing public controversy surrounding Cornell.
A similar employment discrimination case from last year against Cornell accuses the mayor of sexually harassing an employee, then firing him. Former parks department employee Brandon Evans claims Cornell recruited him for a job in 2023, tried over several days to have sex with him and then fired him after he refused.
And in a separate case reported by Fox 2 News, Cornell is under scrutiny for allegedly retaliating against James Carroll, an Illinois man who posted a joke about the mayor on the neighborhood social media platform Nextdoor.
Riverview issued a subpoena against Carroll, citing accusations of cyberbullying and defamation.
The Institute for Justice, a civil liberties law firm representing Carroll, argues that the subpoena is an unconstitutional infringement on free speech. They have demanded the city retract the subpoena.
St. Louis Circuit Court case number: 25SL-CC6162