A New York State jury has awarded $1.68 billion to 40 women who accused filmmaker James Toback of sexual assault, coercion, and psychological abuse spanning more than four decades. The verdict, announced this week, includes $280 million in compensatory damages and $1.4 billion in punitive damages.
The case originated from a 2017 Los Angeles Times investigation in which hundreds of women came forward with allegations against Toback. The lawsuit, filed in December 2022 under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, allowed civil claims to be filed regardless of how long ago the abuse occurred.
Toback, known for his Oscar-nominated screenplay for Bugsy, did not attend the trial and stopped participating after failed attempts to have the case dismissed. With no legal representation present, a partial default judgment was issued against him.
Despite his absence, the trial moved forward with extensive testimony from the plaintiffs. Twenty women appeared in court to testify in person, while another 20 provided prerecorded statements. Many described being misled into professional meetings that quickly turned coercive and sexually exploitative.
"This will be his legacy, absolutely," said plaintiff Mary Monahan in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. "It won’t be Bugsy. A jury heard us and believed us."
Lead attorney Brad Beckworth said the outcome sends a message that the #MeToo movement is far from over. “They needed to hold the line... this kind of conduct is not OK and will not be accepted.”
The Harvard Club of New York City, initially named in the lawsuit, was later dismissed by agreement.
Attorney Ross Leonoudakis said the claims span from 1979 to 2014. While financial recovery may be uncertain, Monahan emphasized the deeper goal: “We weren’t doing this for money. We simply wanted justice and now we have it.”
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