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South China Morning Post
11-04-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Inside Hollywood veteran James Toback's fall from grace: a New York jury awarded US$1.68 billion to 40 women who accused him of sexual abuse over a span of 35 years, marking a huge #MeToo victory
On April 10, a New York jury awarded US$1.68 billion in damages to 40 women who accused writer and director James Toback of sexual abuse and other crimes over a span of 35 years, according to lawyers representing the plaintiffs. The decision stems from a lawsuit filed in Manhattan in 2022 after New York state instituted a one-year window for people to file lawsuits over sexual assault claims even if they took place decades ago. It marks one of the largest jury awards since the advent of the #MeToo movement, as well as in New York state history, said lawyer Brad Beckworth, of the law firm Nix Patterson LLP, in an interview. The plaintiffs, he said, believe such a large verdict will send a message to powerful individuals 'who don't treat women appropriately'. Advertisement Beckworth said the abuse took place between 1979 and 2014. James Toback developed a gambling addiction while working as a university lecturer. Photo: AP Toback was nominated for an Oscar for writing 1991's Bugsy, and his career in Hollywood has spanned more than 40 years. Accusations that he engaged in years of sexual abuse surfaced in late 2017 as the #MeToo movement gained attention. They were first reported by the Los Angeles Times. Toback, 80, who most recently had represented himself, denied numerous times in court documents that he 'committed any sexual offence' and that 'any sexual encounter or contact between Plaintiffs and Defendant was consensual'. He also argued that New York's law extending the statute of limitations on sexual abuse cases violated his constitutional rights. Here's everything to know about the disgraced film director: He grew up privileged
CBC
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Writer-director James Toback ordered to pay $1.68 billion US in sexual abuse case
A New York jury on Wednesday awarded $1.68 billion US in damages to 40 women who accused writer and director James Toback of sexual abuse and other crimes over a span of 35 years, according to lawyers representing the plaintiffs. The decision stems from a lawsuit filed in Manhattan in 2022 after New York state instituted a one-year window for people to file lawsuits over sexual assault claims even if they took place decades ago. It marks one of the largest jury awards since the advent of the #MeToo movement, as well as in New York state history, said attorney Brad Beckworth, of the law firm Nix Patterson LLP, in an interview. The plaintiffs, he said, believe such a large verdict will send a message to powerful individuals "who don't treat women appropriately." The court had not yet released documentation of the verdict as of Wednesday night. Beckworth said the verdict included $280 million US in compensatory damages and $1.4 billion US for punitive damages to the plaintiffs. "This verdict is about justice," Beckworth said in a statement. "But more importantly, It's about taking power back from the abusers — and their and enablers — and returning it to those he tried to control and silence." Beckworth said the abuse took place between 1979 and 2014. Toback was nominated for an Oscar for writing 1991's "Bugsy," and his career in Hollywood has spanned more than 40 years. Accusations that he engaged in years of sexual abuse surfaced in late 2017 as the #MeToo movement gained attention. They were first reported by the Los Angeles Times. In 2018, Los Angeles prosecutors said the statutes of limitations had expired in five cases they reviewed, and declined to bring criminal charges against Toback. The plaintiffs then filed a lawsuit in New York a few days after the state's Adult Survivors Act went into effect. The lawyers said they discovered a pattern of Toback attempting to lure young women on the streets of New York into meeting him by falsely promising roles in his films and then subjecting them to sexual acts, threats and psychological coercion. 'Validation' for women Mary Monahan, a lead plaintiff in the case, called the jury award "validation" for her and the other women. "For decades, I carried this trauma in silence, and today, a jury believed me. Believed us. That changes everything," she said in a statement. "This verdict is more than a number -- it's a declaration. We are not disposable. We are not liars. 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." Toback, 80, who most recently had represented himself, denied numerous times in court documents that he "committed any sexual offense" and that "any sexual encounter or contact between Plaintiffs and Defendant was consensual." He also argued that New York's law extending the statute of limitations on sexual abuse cases violated his constitutional rights. A message sent to an email address listed for him seeking comment was not immediately answered. In January, the judge in the case entered a default judgment against Toback, who had failed to appear in court when ordered to do so. The judge then scheduled a trial for only damages last month to determine how much Toback had to pay the women.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jury awards $1.68 billion to women who accused writer and director James Toback of sexual abuse
A New York jury on Wednesday awarded $1.68 billion in damages to 40 women who accused writer and director James Toback of sexual abuse and other crimes over a span of 35 years, according to lawyers representing the plaintiffs. The decision stems from a lawsuit filed in Manhattan in 2022 after New York state instituted a one-year window for people to file lawsuits over sexual assault claims even if they took place decades ago. It marks one of the largest jury awards since the advent of the #MeToo movement, as well as in New York state history, said attorney Brad Beckworth, of the law firm Nix Patterson LLP, in an interview. The plaintiffs, he said, believe such a large verdict will send a message to powerful individuals 'who don't treat women appropriately.' The court had not yet released documentation of the verdict as of Wednesday night. Beckworth said the verdict included $280 million in compensatory damages and $1.4 billion for punitive damages to the plaintiffs. 'This verdict is about justice,' Beckworth said in a statement. 'But more importantly, It's about taking power back from the abusers — and their and enablers — and returning it to those he tried to control and silence.' Beckworth said the abuse took place between 1979 and 2014. 'A Minecraft Movie' delivers Hollywood a much-needed box-office hit Toback's career in Hollywood has spanned more than 40 years. He's directed such films as 'The Pick-Up Artist' and 'Two Girls and a Guy,' but was perhaps better known for writing the screenplay for 1974's 'The Gambler' and 1991's 'Bugsy,' the latter of which earned him an Oscar nomination. Accusations that he engaged in years of sexual abuse surfaced in late 2017 as the #MeToo movement gained attention. They were first reported by the Los Angeles Times. In 2018, Los Angeles prosecutors said the statutes of limitations had expired in five cases they reviewed, and declined to bring criminal charges against Toback. The plaintiffs then filed a lawsuit in New York a few days after the state's Adult Survivors Act went into effect. The lawyers said they discovered a pattern of Toback attempting to lure young women on the streets of New York into meeting him by falsely promising roles in his films and then subjecting them to sexual acts, threats and psychological coercion. Mary Monahan, a lead plaintiff in the case, called the jury award 'validation' for her and the other women. 'For decades, I carried this trauma in silence, and today, a jury believed me. Believed us. That changes everything,' she said in a statement. 'This verdict is more than a number — it's a declaration. We are not disposable. We are not liars. 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.' Los Angeles film industry struggles as soundstage occupancy plummets: study Toback, 80, who most recently had represented himself, denied numerous times in court documents that he 'committed any sexual offense.' He said 'any sexual encounter or contact between Plaintiffs and Defendant was consensual.' He also argued that New York's law extending the statute of limitations on sexual abuse cases violated his constitutional rights. A message sent to an email address listed for him seeking comment was not immediately answered. In January, the judge in the case entered a default judgment against Toback, who had failed to appear in court when ordered to do so. The judge then scheduled a trial for only damages last month to determine how much Toback had to pay the women. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
New York jury awards $1.68 billion to women who accused writer and director James Toback of sexual abuse
A New York jury on Wednesday awarded $1.68 billion in damages to 40 women who accused writer and director James Toback of sexual abuse and other crimes over a span of 35 years, according to lawyers representing the plaintiffs. The decision stems from a lawsuit filed in Manhattan in 2022 after New York state instituted a one-year window for people to file lawsuits over sexual assault claims even if they took place decades ago. The "Adult Survivors Act," which New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has called "a victory for justice," gave accusers older than 18 a chance to sue in civil court when the statute of limitations on their allegations would have otherwise expired. Wednesday's jury award marks one of the largest of its kind since the advent of the #MeToo movement, as well as in New York state history, said attorney Brad Beckworth, of the law firm Nix Patterson LLP, in an interview. The plaintiffs, he said, believe such a large verdict will send a message to powerful individuals "who don't treat women appropriately." The court had not yet released documentation of the verdict as of Wednesday night. Beckworth said the verdict included $280 million in compensatory damages and $1.4 billion for punitive damages to the plaintiffs. "This verdict is about justice," Beckworth said in a statement. "But more importantly, It's about taking power back from the abusers — and their and enablers — and returning it to those he tried to control and silence." Beckworth said the abuse took place between 1979 and 2014. Toback was nominated for an Oscar for writing 1991's "Bugsy," and his career in Hollywood has spanned more than 40 years. Accusations that he engaged in years of sexual abuse surfaced in late 2017 as the #MeToo movement gained attention. They were first reported by the Los Angeles Times . In that report, 38 women accused Toback of sexual harassment, with many alleging he approached them on the streets of New York City and promised them stardom. Thirty-one of the women spoke on the record. In 2018, Los Angeles prosecutors said the statutes of limitations had expired in five cases they reviewed, and declined to bring criminal charges against Toback. The plaintiffs then filed a lawsuit in New York a few days after the state's Adult Survivors Act went into effect. The lawyers said they discovered a pattern of Toback attempting to lure young women on the streets of New York into meeting him by falsely promising roles in his films and then subjecting them to sexual acts, threats and psychological coercion. Mary Monahan, a lead plaintiff in the case, called the jury award "validation" for her and the other women. "For decades, I carried this trauma in silence, and today, a jury believed me. Believed us. That changes everything," she said in a statement. "This verdict is more than a number — it's a declaration. We are not disposable. We are not liars. 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." Toback, 80, who most recently had represented himself, denied numerous times in court documents that he "committed any sexual offense" and that "any sexual encounter or contact between Plaintiffs and Defendant was consensual." He also argued that New York's law extending the statute of limitations on sexual abuse cases violated his constitutional rights. A message sent to an email address listed for him seeking comment was not immediately answered. In January, the judge in the case entered a default judgment against Toback, who had failed to appear in court when ordered to do so. The judge then scheduled a trial for only damages last month to determine how much Toback had to pay the women.
Al Bawaba
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Bawaba
James Toback ordered to pay $1.68 Billion to 40 women in Landmark sexual abuse case
ALBAWABA - James Toback found liable in massive sexual abuse damages verdict. According to the plaintiffs' attorneys, a New York jury on Wednesday granted $1.68 billion in damages to 40 women who accused writer and director James Toback of sexual abuse and other offenses over a 35-year period. The ruling is based on a Manhattan complaint that was filed in 2022 after New York State established a one-year statute of limitations for sexual assault lawsuits, even if the alleged incident occurred decades prior. In an interview, lawyer Brad Beckworth of the law firm Nix Patterson LLP stated that it is one of the biggest jury awards in the history of New York state and since the start of the #MeToo movement. According to him, the plaintiffs think that a ruling this size will send a message to influential people "who don't treat women appropriately." producer Harvey Weinstein (L) and director James Toback (R) (Photo by dsk / AFP) As of Wednesday evening, the court had not yet made the verdict's documents public. According to Beckworth, the plaintiffs received $1.4 billion in punitive damages and $280 million in compensatory damages as part of the ruling. In a statement, Beckworth stated, "This verdict is about justice." "But more importantly, it's about taking power from the abusers and their supporters and giving it back to the people he tried to control." According to Beckworth, the abuse occurred from 1979 to 2014. Writer of the film James Toback (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN / AFP) Toback has almost 40 years of Hollywood experience and was nominated for an Oscar for writing "Bugsy" in 1991. As the #MeToo movement gained momentum in late 2017, allegations that he had committed years of sexual abuse began to surface. The Los Angeles Times was the first to report about them. In 2018, Los Angeles prosecutors declined to charge Toback with a crime, stating that the statutes of limitations had passed in five of the cases they examined. A few days after the state's Adult Survivors Act took effect, the plaintiffs then filed a case in New York. According to the attorneys, they found a pattern of Toback trying to get young women on the streets of New York to meet him by making false promises about parts in his movies, followed by sexual harassment, threats, and psychological pressure.
