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Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jury Awards $1.68 Billion to James Toback's Sexual Abuse Accusers
Originally appeared on E! Online A New York jury has awarded James Toback's accusers a sizable sum. The Two Girls and a Guy director was ordered to pay $1.68 billion to 40 women who accused him of sexual assault between 1979 and 2014, according to the plaintiffs' lawyers. The April 9 judgment, which has not been made available by the court, included $280 million in compensatory damages and $1.4 billion in punitive damages, attorney Brad Beckworth said in a release obtained by E! News. 'This verdict is about justice,' he emphasized. '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, who in an interview described the jury's judgement as among the largest in New York state history, added that he was 'very proud' of his clients' 'brutally honest' testimony, calling it 'empowering—for them and for all women.' More from E! Online Tori Spelling Proves Ryan Cramer Romance Is Going Strong With Red Carpet Outing Chanel West Coast Makes Surprise Career Move After Ridiculousness Exit Rebecca Gayheart Shares Update on Eric Dane Relationship After Dismissing Divorce Toback, 80, who received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay for writing the 1991 drama Bugsy, repeatedly denied that he 'committed any sexual offense' and said that 'any sexual encounter or contact between Plaintiffs and Defendant was consensual,' according to court documents obtained by the Associated Press. He most recently represented himself in the case, per the outlet. E! News has reached out to Toback's lawyers for comment but has not heard back. The lawsuit was initially filed in 2022 under New York's Adult Survivors Act, which opened a one-year window for survivors of sexual assault to sue their alleged assailants regardless of when the abuse occurred. It remains to be seen whether the filmmaker will be able to pay the 10-figure sum as he has described himself in court filings obtained by The New York Times as 'financially destitute.' Toback first faced allegations of sexual misconduct in 2017 amid the #MeToo movement, when dozens of women including and came forward with their accounts. By 2018, no less than 395 women had accused Toback of harassment, according to the Los Angeles Times. Prosecutors declined to file charges against him at the time as the accusations fell outside the statue of limitations, per the New York Times. For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jury Orders James Toback to Pay $1.68B to 40 Women In Sexual Assault Trial
Director James Toback — among the first Hollywood men to be accused in the #MeToo movement — has been ordered to pay $1.68 billion to 40 women for sexual assault and other kinds of abuse. A New York jury on Wednesday awarded the women $280 million in compensatory damages and $1.4 billion in punitive damages, intended to punish Toback for malicious conduct. More from The Hollywood Reporter How a Film Writer Grappled With #MeToo Accusations Against Friend James Toback James Toback Accusers Call Out Festival, Distributor for Screening His Latest Film Why a James Toback Film Will Get a Festival Screening Toback, who helmed the films Black and White (1999) and Two Girls and a Guy (1998) and was nominated for an Oscar for writing the Warren Beatty film Bugsy (1991), didn't mount a defense at the trial and wasn't represented by a lawyer. The court in January issued a default judgment, reserved for cases in which the defendant fails to appear. When allegations of pervasive sexual harassment first surfaced in a report from The Los Angeles Times in which more than 30 women came forward, Toback denied ever meeting most of the accusers. He also claimed it was 'biologically impossible' for him to engage in the alleged behavior, saying he had diabetes and a heart condition that required medication. Brad Beckworth, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said the verdict is 'about justice' but also 'taking power back from the abusers.' He added, 'Several years ago, when the Me-Too movement began, I think many of us thought that we were past the point where men in positions of power would prey on women and try to steal their dignity and honor in exchange for allowing them to advance in their careers. We now know that the movement didn't go far enough. We still have a lot of people in this country who abuse their power—and there are many more who turn a blind eye to it.' The lawsuit, filed in 2022, accused Toback of leveraging his power in the entertainment industry to lure young women into meetings under the pretext of discussing potential movie roles. He'd direct them to engage in sexual behavior, including taking off their clothes or masturbating in front of him, saying it was 'part of the job,' according to the complaint. When some of the women tried to escape, Toback allegedly trapped them. Several of the instances involved him 'rubbing his genitals up against them and ejaculating on them without their consent,' the lawsuit said. The complaint also alleged that Toback 'would forcibly touch and or penetrate his victims' genitals with his hands and/or mouth against their will.' The women were told by Toback, who said he had connections to the mob, that he'd ruin their careers if they reported the assaults. The alleged misconduct spanned four decades from at least 1979 to 2014. The lawsuit was filed under New York's Adult Survivors Act, which effectively suspended time constraints on claims involving sex offenses for a year. Several high-profile figures across Hollywood have been sued under the law, including Sean 'Diddy' Combs, Bill Cosby and Jimmy Iovine. It's unknown whether the award for punitive damages will stand. Though New York doesn't have a cap, there's typically a maximum amount the figure can exceed compensatory damages. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2025: Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Sabrina Carpenter and More Hollywood's Highest-Profile Harris Endorsements: Taylor Swift, George Clooney, Bruce Springsteen and More Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2024: Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, Olivia Rodrigo and More
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.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Director James Toback ordered to pay $1.68B in sexual assault trial involving 40 women
A judge is ordering director James Toback to pay $1.68 billion in damages Wednesday, following a jury finding him liable in a sexual assault trial in New York, during which he was accused by 40 women of sex crimes over decades. Attorneys for the accusers believe the sum represents the largest sexual assault civil suit verdict in state history. "The jury's verdict is about justice," Brad Beckworth, an attorney for the accusers wrote in a statement to USA TODAY. "But more importantly, it's about taking power back from the abusers — and their and enablers — and returning it to those they tried to control." Toback, who has previously denied any wrongdoing, was not reachable for comment. He did not have legal representation during the trial. The screenwriter behind films like "Bugsy" and "Two Girls and a Guy," Toback, 80, was one of the first major Hollywood names to be thrown out during the #MeToo reckoning over sexual violence in the entertainment industry nearly a decade ago. Along with the aspiring actresses listed in the suit, he has also been accused by big-name stars like Rachel McAdams, Selma Blair and Julianne Moore of on-set harassment. 'Grey's Anatomy' star Ellen Pompeo: James Toback once asked me to get naked in a movie "Several years ago, when the Me-Too movement began, I think many of us thought that we were past the point where men in positions of power would prey on women and try to steal their dignity and honor in exchange for allowing them to advance in their careers," Beckworth continued. "We now know that the movement didn't go far enough. We still have a lot of people in this country who abuse their power—and there are many more who turn a blind eye to it." The lawsuit in New York, which loops together over a dozen named accusers and several anonymous ones, alleged that Toback over the course of 40 years used his "reputation, power and influence" to "lure young women … through fraud, coercion, force and intimidation into compromising situations where he falsely imprisoned, sexually abused, assaulted, and/or battered them." Many of the women are now in their 30s and 40s. Filed under the Adult Survivors Act, the lawsuit was allowed to proceed despite the large amount of time that had lapsed since many of the assaults by way of a one-year look-back window. The state opened the window in 2022 to allow accusers a brief opportunity to skirt the statute of limitations. That same look-back window was used by journalist E. Jean Carroll to sue President Donald Trump over an alleged assault during the mid-1990s. The original suit also ensnared the Harvard Club of New York, where lawyers for the women allege Toback was a frequent customer, often taking his victims there for meals and drinks before attacking them. Because of his status as a prestige member, the club turned a blind eye to the abuse, the lawsuit alleged − the organization was ultimately not part of the trial. Toback was a graduate of the Ivy League university and directed a 2001 dramedy about the school entitled "Harvard Man." McAdams and Blair both told Vanity Fair in 2017 that during the production of the movie Toback engaged in inappropriate sexual behavior, asking them to take their clothing off during auditions, masturbating in front of them or discussing personal pleasure habits and threatening them about speaking out. Blair, who originally spoke to the Los Angeles Times anonymously, said she decided to come forward after Toback's blanket denial. "When he called these women liars and said he didn't recall meeting them and that the behavior alleged could not be attributed to him, I just felt rage and an obligation to speak publicly now," she told Vanity Fair. "For decades, I carried this trauma in silence, and today, a jury believed me. Believed us," Mary Monahan, the lead accuser in the case resolved Wednesday, told Variety. "That changes everything. 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. And what we did — standing up, speaking out — was right." Contributing: Lorena Blas This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: James Toback to pay $1.68 billion to women after sexual assault trial
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
James Toback Hit With $1.7 Billion Verdict in Sex Assault Suit Involving 40 Women
Director James Toback, who was among the first to be singled out in the #MeToo scandal in 2017, was ordered on Wednesday to pay $1.68 billion after a sexual assault trial in New York. Toback, 80, was accused of abusing his power in the film industry to sexually assault women across four decades. 40 women testified at the seven-day trial, resulting in what their attorneys believe to be the largest sex assault verdict in state history. More from Variety Harvey Weinstein's Fate Puts Hollywood on Notice James Toback Will Not Face Charges in Los Angeles Harvey Weinstein, James Toback Under Investigation by Beverly Hills Police Department 'I think this jury spoke loud and clear,' said Brad Beckworth, an attorney for the plaintiffs, saying he had argued that the #MeToo movement had not gone far enough. '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 did not attend the trial. Earlier in the case, he issued a blanket denial, including a claim that any sexual activity was consensual. He was acting as his own attorney at the time. He did not show up for pre-trial hearings, leading to a default judgment against him. Toback did not respond to messages seeking comment on Wednesday. The six-member jury was convened to decide on damages. After deliberation, the jury awarded $280 million in compensatory damages and $1.4 billion in punitive damages. The attorneys will next have to assess whether Toback has any assets they can pursue. 'We'll try to recover it, but that's not the only motivating factor,' said Ross Leonoudakis, another plaintiffs' attorney. 'We saw a unique opportunity to help these survivors seek justice.' Toback wrote the 1991 film 'Bugsy,' and wrote and directed 'The Pick-up Artist' and 'Two Girls and a Guy.' He was accused of prowling the streets of New York for decades, looking for young women to invite to meetings with the promise of movie offers. He was accused of sexually assaulting them at the Harvard Club and at other locations around New York, including his apartment, his editing studio, and public parks. The accusers — most now in their 40s and 50s, and some in their early 70s — were allowed to bring the lawsuit under the New York Adult Survivors Act, which created a one-year window in which the statute of limitations was suspended for sexual assault. The suit was first filed in December 2022. Over the course of the trial, 20 women testified in person. Video depositions of another 20 women were also played for the jury. Mary Monahan, the lead plaintiff, said in a statement that the verdict represents 'validation.' 'For decades, I carried this trauma in silence, and today, a jury believed me,' Monahan said. 'Believed us. That changes everything. 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. And what we did — standing up, speaking out — was right.' Karen Sklaire Watson, another plaintiff, said the verdict will make New York safer for women. 'We're drawing a line in the sand: Predators cannot hide behind fame, money, or power,' she said in a statement. 'Not here. Not anymore.' The plaintiffs initially sued the Harvard Club of New York, arguing the club was negligent in allowing Toback to use it for so many sexual assaults over so many years. The plaintiffs agreed to discontinue the case against the Harvard Club in January 2024. The L.A. Times first reported allegations against Toback from 38 women on Oct. 22, 2017, just two weeks after the New York Times reported a history of harassment claims against Harvey Weinstein. The report triggered an avalanche of similar allegations against numerous Hollywood figures, as well as new laws protecting sexual assault accusers and making it easier for them to bring lawsuits. 'We'll try to recover it, but that's not the only motivating factor,' said Ross Leonoudakis, Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in April 2025 The Best Celebrity Memoirs to Read This Year: From Chelsea Handler to Anthony Hopkins
