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Filmmaker James Toback Ordered to Pay USD 1.7 Billion in Assault Lawsuit Filed by 40 Women; Details Inside
James Toback has lost an assault case involving 40 women and has been ordered to pay over USD 1 billion following a trial in New York.
Trigger Warning: This article contains mention of sexual assault.
Director James Toback faces a 1.68 billion USD judgment against him in a landmark civil verdict for assaults against 40 women. Toback was accused of misconduct dating back more than 40 years.
The 80-year-old director, much denounced during the height of the #MeToo movement, faced several accusations, including abuse of power, over the years. According to Variety, at the conclusion of a seven-day trial, the jury awarded $280 million as compensatory damages and punitive damages of $1.4 billion.
Attorney Brad Beckworth, who represented the plaintiffs, said, "I think this jury spoke loud and clear. We wanted their voice to be heard and to reverberate across the country to tell insiders and people in positions of power that we will not tolerate using that power against women."
Toback was absent from all hearings. He had previously called the allegations false and stated that any sensual activity was consensual. However, when he failed to show up for pre-trial hearings, the court provided a default judgment.
Through the trial, 20 of the women testified in person, and another 20 testified via video. They shared how Toback employed offers of film roles as a means of getting them alone in secluded spots such as his home, studio, and public spaces, where he proceeded to r*pe them.
The plaintiffs, all in their 40s, 50s, and 70s, initially sued the Harvard Club in New York for allowing Toback to carry on with his wrongdoings for decades in their vicinity. However, that lawsuit was dropped in 2024.
According to lead plaintiff Mary Monahan, the verdict was a public acknowledgment of the survivors' experiences, thus closing the door on years of silence and disbelief. Monahan said, "For decades, I carried this trauma in silence, and today, a jury believed me. Believe us. That changes everything. This verdict is more than a number—it’s a declaration. We are not disposable. We are not liars."
She added, "We are not collateral damage in someone else’s power trip. The world knows now what we’ve always known: what he did was real. And what we did—standing up, speaking out—was right."
James Toback, who directed projects such as The Pick-up Artist and Two Girls and a Guy, was first accused of sexual abuse in 2017.
Disclaimer: If you need support or know someone who is struggling with domestic violence or assault or abuse, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist, NGO or speak to someone about it. There are several helplines available for the same.
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