US Senator's Children Reportedly Blamed for Death of Their Mum's Assistant – Lawsuit

An explosive lawsuit accuses Senator Ron Wyden's children of sexual abuse that drove his wife's aide to suicide. The assistant's grieving husband says the victim was tormented until he broke.

It is a scandal that has rocked Oregon to its core. The younger children of Senator Ron Wyden stand accused in a bombshell lawsuit of sexually harassing and terrorizing their mother Nancy Bass Wyden's assistant — treatment that allegedly drove him to despair and suicide earlier this year.

The lawsuit, filed by grieving widower Thomas Maltezos, alleges that his late husband Brandon O'Brien, 35, endured relentless humiliation, sexual assault, and homophobic abuse at the hands of the senator's children while working for their mother — the wealthy Strand Bookstore heiress and Manhattan real estate mogul.

Thomas' complaint lays bare a nightmare hidden behind one of America's most famous political families: a household where cruelty reportedly reigned unchecked, and where silence, denial, and counteraccusations became the weapons of power.

Sexually Explicit' Comments and Chilling Threats

Brandon began working for Nancy Bass Wyden in June 2022. Court papers show he was "frequently tasked" with caring for her children, from routine school drop-offs in New York City to long days babysitting during family trips to Disneyworld.

According to the lawsuit, the alleged abuse began in September 2022, when the couple's then-ten-year-old daughter exposed herself to Brandon, peppering him with "sexually explicit" remarks and intrusive questions about his "intimate life." Rather than intervene, the complaint alleges, Nancy did nothing.

The accusations grew darker: their teenage son allegedly berated Brandon with homophobic slurs, hurled objects at him, and issued a terrifying threat that "his football team would 'rape' him."

In one particularly disturbing episode, Nancy reportedly tried to restrain her son with mace — but inadvertently sprayed Brandon instead. The harassment, Thomas claims, continued even in front of him and his mother.

Counterattack: Theft Accusations, Private Investigators, and 'False Rumors'

Nancy Bass Wyden has forcefully denied the allegations. Her lawyers moved to have the case dismissed, and a Bass Real Estate spokesperson blasted the complaint as "baseless and deeply misguided" and "riddled with false accusations."

"It appears to be a continued effort to deflect attention from Brandon's own serious misconduct, including a documented pattern of theft from those he once worked for," the spokesperson told the New York Post.

On September 30, 2024, Brandon finally quit in pent-up frustration. But Nancy struck back immediately: the very next day she accused him of stealing $650,000 through credit card theft (and other thefts) and filed a police report.

She allegedly hired a private investigator to dig into Brandon's "personal life and business dealings," and by January 2025, the suit claims she was spreading "false rumors" to his professional colleagues — smearing his name and leaving him increasingly isolated.

The Tragic End of Brandon O'Brien

On May 26, 2025, Brandon O'Brien ended his life. His devastated husband Thomas announced the news on social media.

"It is with a shattered heart that I announce my beloved husband … died by suicide," he wrote. "Brandon worked as an executive assistant and made every space better with his quiet grace and unwavering loyalty. I am completely heartbroken without him."

The theft allegations against Brandon were later dropped. His attorneys dismissed them as fabricated smears designed to discredit a man already driven to his breaking point.

"The allegations against the senator's wife are shocking, disturbing, and cruel — no person should ever be subject to this level of harassment, much less in the workplace," Thomas' lawyers, Eric Baum and Reyna Lubin, said in a fiery statement.

A Grieving Husband's Love Letter to His Lost Partner

In the days following the tragedy, Thomas launched a GoFundMe to cover Brandon's funeral expenses. The words he wrote still throb with raw grief:

"Brandon is the love of my life, my home, my heart, my everything. He is kind, thoughtful, and full of quiet strength. To know him is to be embraced by warmth, empathy, and sincerity."

He remembered the joys that made Brandon whole: building LEGOs, traveling, going to the gym, visiting Disney World, running, and doting on their beloved pets — Pumpkin the cat and CJ the dog. The goal was $7,500. Donors gave $7,506. It was a bittersweet testament to a man remembered as gentle, loyal, and irreplaceable.

The Senator, the Bookstore Heiress, and the Questions Left Behind

Nancy Bass became Senator Wyden's second wife in 2005. Together they welcomed three children — including the two accused in the lawsuit — adding to the two children Wyden already had from his first marriage.

Now, the powerful progressive lawmaker and his wealthy wife face a devastating cloud of scandal: a lawsuit alleging their home was a place of torment, their children left unchecked, and their trusted aide broken beyond repair.

The case is still unfolding. But one truth remains unshakable: a man is dead, and his husband is demanding justice.