Marseilles Mayor Jim Hollenbeck and three city Hall employees have expanded their legal fight against Commissioner Michael Scheib, filing a new lawsuit that goes beyond a disputed Facebook post to include accusations of false emails, public intimidation and harassment.

According to court documents, the complaint was filed this month in La Salle County Circuit Court and seeks damages between $15,000 and $50,000 for each plaintiff: Hollenbeck, Deputy City Clerk Catherine Strottner, Administrative Assistant Terri Crum and City Clerk Lesley Hart.

While an earlier lawsuit this year centered on a March 24 post where Scheib said the city needed “five honest people” instead of five full-time employees, the new lawsuit alleges Scheib also sent emails in August and September accusing Hollenbeck and Hart of insurance fraud, sexual harassment cover-ups and misuse of city funds.

According to court documents, the lawsuit also alleges that Crum resigned from her City Hall position due to the alleged harassment and false accusations, and that all plaintiffs have suffered embarrassment, stress and loss of sleep and appetite.

The other lawsuit filed this year against Scheib related to his March 24 comments about City Hall staff. That case remains pending.

Scheib, who shared a copy of the email with Shaw Local News Network, wrote “a state investigation is warranted” and accused Hollenbeck of potentially using city funds to cover up “sexual harassment, quid pro quo and retaliation.”

The plaintiffs argue that those accusations were false and defamatory.

The plaintiffs referred comment to their attorney, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Shaw Local News Network.

Scheib called the lawsuit “bewildering and pernicious nonsense.”