Federal prosecutors have accused a Westland area landlord and former political hopeful of running a years-long pattern of sexual harassment and retaliation against his female tenants. A new lawsuit filed by the Justice Department says William “Aaron” Asper used his control over more than twenty rental properties to pressure women for sex, threaten them with eviction, expose himself inside their homes, and intimidate them when they refused his demands.
According to the complaint filed in U.S. District Court, Asper’s behavior began no later than 2018 and continued into 2025. Prosecutors say Asper preyed on women who lived in his units across Westland, Romulus, Carleton and Monroe, properties he managed personally and often had direct access to. They allege he refused repairs, filed evictions, and withheld basic housing needs unless female tenants submitted to sexual acts, creating a hostile environment that forced several women to flee their homes.
The filing outlines specific examples. In 2019, a female tenant reported that Asper repeatedly propositioned her, told her there were “different ways” she could pay rent, and touched her without consent, including grabbing her buttocks and kissing her head. She told investigators he routinely pulled out his penis inside her home, sometimes while her young son was present. After she told him she would not have sex with him, Asper allegedly stopped making repairs and she eventually felt forced to move out.
In another case from 2024, Asper allegedly asked a tenant about her sex life, pulled her by the arm into his chest as she said “no,” and later threatened eviction after she reported him to police. A third tenant told federal investigators that Asper said he was lonely, asked her to go to a hotel with him, and warned that she would receive a 24-hour eviction notice if she refused. She moved out shortly afterwards because she no longer felt safe. Prosecutors say these examples represent only part of a larger pattern that spanned years.
The United States argues that Asper’s actions violated multiple sections of the Fair Housing Act, including discrimination based on sex, creating hostile living conditions, threatening tenants who asserted their rights, and making housing unavailable to women who refused his demands. The government is seeking financial damages for victims, civil penalties, and a court order that would permanently bar Asper from further discriminatory conduct.
The complaint also names Asper’s trust and REPSA Enterprises LLC, the entities that owned the properties while Asper served as the active manager. Prosecutors say Asper had full authority to approve tenants, set rents and deposits, make repairs, collect payments, and initiate evictions, giving him unchecked power over the women who lived in his units. They argue that REPSA and the trust are vicariously liable for his conduct.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon stated that women should not live in fear when they seek repairs or pay rent. U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. called Asper’s alleged behavior gross exploitation of vulnerable women. HUD-OIG agents said no tenant should be threatened or abused by a landlord and vowed to hold housing providers accountable.
Asper is no stranger to controversy in Westland. In 2021, he launched a campaign for mayor but was removed from the ballot after officials questioned whether he lived in the city. During that same period, he faced public criticism for offensive comments about women that appeared on social media. Asper denied wrongdoing and claimed other people must have accessed his phone years earlier while he was at bars.
If the government prevails, Asper could face substantial damages and long-term restrictions on his ability to manage rental housing. The Justice Department says the case is part of a national initiative targeting sexual harassment in housing, an effort that has resulted in more than 50 lawsuits and more than $16,000,000 in recoveries since 2017.
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