A New York jury has delivered a staggering $1.68 billion verdict against Hollywood director James Toback, sending a powerful message to predators hiding behind fame and influence in the entertainment industry.
Key Takeaways
- Forty women will receive a combined $1.68 billion award in the largest assault verdict in New York history after decades of abuse.
- Filmmaker James Toback, known for “Bugsy” and other films, did not attend the trial and received a default judgment.
- The jury awarded $280 million in compensatory damages and $1.4 billion in punitive damages.
- The case was made possible by the New York Adult Survivors Act, which temporarily suspended the statute of limitations for sexual assault claims.
- Victims described a pattern of abuse spanning from 1979 to 2014, where Toback used his Hollywood connections to lure and assault women.
Historic Verdict for Assault Survivors
In a crushing blow to a once-prominent Hollywood figure, a New York jury has ordered filmmaker James Toback to pay $1.68 billion to forty women who accused him of misconduct spanning over four decades. The verdict represents the largest assault judgment in New York state history and sends a resounding message about accountability in the entertainment industry. The compensatory damages totaled $280 million, while punitive damages reached an extraordinary $1.4 billion, reflecting the jury’s desire to punish Toback’s predatory behavior severely.
The lawsuit was filed under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, which provided a temporary window suspending statutes of limitations for sexual assault claims. This legislation offered victims who had long been silenced an opportunity to seek justice for abuses dating back decades. The case against Toback included testimonies from twenty women in person, with video depositions from twenty additional victims, all sharing similar stories of being manipulated and assaulted by the director between 1979 and 2014.
Pattern of Predatory Behavior Exposed
Toback, who wrote the Oscar-nominated screenplay for “Bugsy” and directed films like “The Pick-up Artist” and “Two Girls and a Guy,” employed a consistent method of operation when targeting his victims. According to court testimony, he would approach young women in New York locations, use his Hollywood credentials to gain their trust, and promise them roles in his films. These encounters would escalate to assault under the guise of “auditions” or “character research,” with many women describing similar experiences across decades.
“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,” said Brad Beckworth, attorney for the plaintiffs. “I think this jury spoke loud and clear.”
The director did not attend the trial and had no legal representation present, resulting in a default judgment against him. Earlier in the proceedings, Toback had represented himself, denying all allegations and claiming that any sexual activity was consensual. He later cited health issues as a reason for his absence from court proceedings, a defense the jury clearly rejected with their verdict.
Validation for Long-Silenced Victims
For the women involved, many of whom had carried their trauma silently for decades, the verdict represents far more than a monetary award. The case provided a public forum where their accounts were heard, believed, and validated. The emotional impact of this recognition was evident in their reactions to the decision.
“For decades, I carried this trauma in silence, and today, a jury believed me. 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,” said Mary Monahan, lead plaintiff in the case.
The allegations against Toback first gained widespread attention in 2017 when the Los Angeles Times published an investigation detailing accounts from 38 women. That report, coming shortly after similar revelations about Harvey Weinstein, ultimately led nearly 400 additional women to contact the newspaper with accusations against Toback. This case represents one of the most significant legal consequences of the broader #MeToo movement that has reshaped Hollywood’s power dynamics.
Sending a Message to the Entertainment Industry
While the massive financial judgment may be largely symbolic, as collecting such sums from Toback remains uncertain, attorneys and plaintiffs emphasized that monetary compensation was never the primary motivation. Instead, they sought to establish a precedent and send a clear message that such behavior would no longer be tolerated or hidden in the entertainment industry.
“We’re drawing a line in the sand: Predators cannot hide behind fame, money, or power. Not here. Not anymore,” stated Karen Sklaire Watson, one of the plaintiffs.
The case stands as the second major trial conducted under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, following writer E. Jean Carroll’s successful lawsuit against former president Donald Trump. Together, these verdicts demonstrate the powerful impact of legislation that opens courtroom doors to victims of long-ago abuses, potentially inspiring similar legal reforms across the country.
