Arab American actor and comedian Ahmed Ahmed has filed a lawsuit alleging deputies at a jail in San Mateo County caused serious injuries and attempted to pull down his pants while laughing at him, following an arrest at SFO last year for which he was never charged.
Ahmed Ahmed, a 55-year-old Arab American actor and comedian known for films including Iron Man, Swingers, and You Don't Mess With the Zohan, filed a lawsuit in San Mateo County Superior Court against San Mateo County, the Sheriff's Office, former Sheriff Christina Corpus, and several unnamed deputies, as the Chronicle reports. The suit stems from Ahmed's September 2025 arrest at SFO following a dispute with a United Airlines employee after a missed connection and an unsuccessful attempt to secure a hotel room during an overnight travel delay.
According to KRON4, Ahmed was arrested by San Francisco International Airport police after airline staff claimed he was being disruptive. He was transported to the Maguire Correctional Facility in Redwood City and booked on suspicion of public intoxication.
Ahmed alleges he did not resist arrest and was later subjected to excessive force inside the jail.
The lawsuit claims multiple deputies caused serious injuries, including multiple broken bones, head trauma, and lacerations. Per the Chronicle, Ahmed says deputies attempted to pull down his pants while he was restrained with his head covered, and at least one deputy is accused of touching his groin during the encounter.
Ahmed was reportedly released the following day and was never charged with a crime.
Attorneys representing Ahmed contend he was racially profiled and discriminated against because he is Arab and Muslim.
“What happened to Ahmed is one of the most disturbing abuses of power I have ever seen,” said Nick Rowley, one of Ahmed’s attorneys, per KRON4.
In a statement, Ahmed said the incident left lasting physical and psychological trauma.
“I have spent my life trying to bring people together through laughter, but what those officers did broke something in me,” said Ahmed, per the Chronicle. “I was scared for my life.”
The Sheriff's Office responded to the allegations saying an internal review from 2025 found evidence contradicting the lawsuit's claims.
