US yoga guru files for bankruptcy

CHICAGO: Bikram Choudhury Yoga Inc, the studio that popularized doing yoga in sauna heat, has filed for US Chapter 11 bankruptcy, dogged by $16.7 million in legal judgements and numerous lawsuits and allegations of sexual misconduct.

Founder Bikram Choudhury, who built a worldwide following with classes of 26 yoga postures in rooms heated to 40.6°C, has been accused of sexual assault by his yoga practitioners, students, instructors and teacher trainees.

The Simi Valley, Californiabased company said in a bankruptcy court filing on Thursday in the Central District of California that its liabilities were worth up to $50 million. It listed assets of up to $1 million, suggesting that its largest creditors - women who are owed money for court judgements awarded against Choudhury - will not be paid in full.

They include Miki Jaffa Bodden, former head of legal and international affairs at Choudhury’s yoga school who has an $8 million claim stemming from a wrongful dismissal case that included harassment claims.

A warrant for Choudhury’s arrest was issued in May.

Petra Starke, who moved from her job as lawyer in the Obama White House to chief executive of the Bikram Yoga College of India in 2013, complained of wrongful dismissal, sexually inappropriate conduct and “racist tirades.” She has a $5.1 million claim.

Sharon Clerkin, who sued claiming she was fired for becoming pregnant, is owed $3.6 million.