A Florida man filed a declaration this week alleging entertainer Carrot Top sexually exploited him in 2021 in Winter Park.
The claim comes amid an ongoing federal lawsuit against the 61-year-old comedian, whose real name is Scott Thompson, filed in August by singer Brian Evans. Evans alleges Thompson sent him an unsolicited sexually explicit video, then convinced him to sign a settlement agreement.
Zachary Defazio, 25, filed a declaration Monday, Sept. 14, in an effort to support Evans’ case against Thompson. Defazio calls himself “a second independent victim” of Thompson in court documents.
“I am coming forward in Evans’ cases because what he has told this Court about Thompson’s pattern, as it concerns me, is true, and because I support him,” the declaration reads.
‘Cat Fishing’
Dafazio’s filing accuses Thompson of sexually exploiting him and supplying him with alcohol while he was underage. He says this happened at Thompson’s Winter Park home in the luxury community Isle of Sicily in 2021.
“Scott Thompson would pretend to be younger, and did what is called ‘Cat Fishing’ on me on the Grindr application,” the declaration reads.
Grindr is an LGBTQ+ dating and hookup app.
Defazio alleges he met Thompson on Grindr back in 2021. At the time, he was 19 years old and Thompson was 56. Defazio says Thompson sent him an anonymous picture of a torso that looked like it belonged to someone his age. Thompson and Defazio met up at a bar on Park Avenue in Winter Park.
“I found out who he was when I got there. He used that status — celebrity, age, money, a house on Isle of Sicily — to get me to trust him,” the document reads.
Defazio’s Sept. 14 declaration shows that he took legal action against Thompson himself in June 2025.
His former legal counsel at NeJame Law sent a letter to Thompson stating Defazio was willing to enter a confidential settlement agreement, due to Thompson’s celebrity stature. They offered to settle for $7.5 million, including legal fees.
Mark NeJame dropped the case Sept. 11, according to Defazio’s declaration.
The 2025 letter addressed to Scott Thompson on behalf of Defazio states that Thompson gave him — while still underage — alcohol at bars, on his boat, in his Winter Park home and at other houses. Defazio says on Oct. 8, 2021, Thompson engaged in nonconsensual sexual conduct with him. Defazio says he was too drunk to consent.
Grindr, text messages and photo exchanges
The two allegedly exchanged text messages, documented in the 2025 letter, which appear to show them discussing meeting up and exchanging photos with each other.
The number Defazio is texting, which he alleges belongs to Thompson, sends messages like “Craving your cock,” “Come over and cum on me after” and “I mean.. cmon we met on grinder… you know I wanna have fun w you.”
The timestamps on the messages range from March 2021 to February 2022.
Now, Defazio has reignited his claims to support Evans’ lawsuit.
Defazio didn’t know Evans, a former opening act for Thompson in Las Vegas, when his own legal claim was made. Court documents suggest Defazio claims he contacted Evans after the Evans-Thompson dispute became public record.
The Evans lawsuit
Evans’ lawsuit accuses Thompson of sending an unsolicited video of the comedian engaging in oral sex with someone Evans calls “significantly younger” than Thompson. He filed the suit on Aug. 6 in Broward County.
Evans was “immediately shocked, disturbed and offended.”
He claims this happened in approximately 2022 or 2023.
Evans says Thompson convinced him to sign a settlement agreement in 2024. Now, he wants that agreement thrown out.
Evans argues he entered into the 2024 agreement because of representations by Thompson “concerning future professional assistance and entertainment opportunities,” and other performances and productions.
Evans argues he entered into the agreement under a compromised mental state. He says he was recovering from mental trauma associated with the 2023 Maui wildfires.
Thompson is a stand-up comedian and actor from Cocoa Beach, Florida. He rose to fame as Carrot Top in the 1990s with his bizarre prop comedy and fiery hair. He has held a stand-up residency at the Luxor Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas since 2005. Thompson has owned residences in the Orlando area for years.
