Film director ordered to pay $1.68B to 40 women in sexual assault suit

• A New York jury ordered filmmaker James Toback to pay $1.68 billion to 40 women, marking one of the largest sexual abuse verdicts in New York state history. The lawsuit accused Toback of decades-long abuse, coercion and threats under the guise of offering Hollywood opportunities.
• The case was filed under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, which temporarily lifted the statute of limitations for civil sexual abuse claims, allowing 40 women to come forward.
• Lead plaintiff Mary Monahan called the verdict a validation of survivors’ experiences, emphasizing its significance beyond monetary compensation.

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A New York jury ordered filmmaker James Toback to pay $1.68 billion to 40 women. It’s believed to be one of the largest sexual abuse verdicts in New York state history.

The verdict comes decades after women first accused him of using his Hollywood influence to coerce and abuse them. Toback, 80, was once a celebrated director known for films like “Two Girls and a Guy” and “The Pick-Up Artist.”

Toback accused of abuse spanning decades

The lawsuit, filed in December 2022, accused Toback of using his power and prestige to lure women with promises of movie roles. The complaint said he manipulated, coerced and, in some cases, threatened them into sexual acts.

“For around forty years,” the lawsuit reads, “Toback used his reputation, power and influence … to lure young women, including Plaintiffs, through fraud, coercion, force and intimidation into compromising situations where he falsely imprisoned, sexually abused, assaulted, and/or battered them.”

Many of the alleged assaults took place in the Harvard Club in Manhattan, where Toback often invited women for meals, drinks and “private” meetings about acting opportunities. The survivors say the abuse also happened in parks, editing studios, stairwells — and even his mother’s apartment.

If the women refused, the lawsuit claims, Toback threatened to blacklist them from the entertainment industry — or worse. He allegedly told them he could have them kidnapped, harmed or killed.

Filed under the Adult Survivors Act

The James Toback sexual abuse verdict is the result of a lawsuit filed under New York’s Adult Survivors Act (ASA), which temporarily lifted the statute of limitations for civil sexual abuse claims. The ASA was effective from November 2022 to November 2023.

Originally, 38 women filed the complaint — 13 named plaintiffs and 25 listed as Jane Does. Before the case went to trial, two more survivors joined, bringing the total to 40.

This law also allowed high-profile cases, such as singer Cassie Ventura’s lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs and journalist E. Jean Carroll’s civil claim against President Donald Trump, to proceed.

Toback absent from trial

Toback, who represented himself in court, failed to attend pre-trial hearings. According to The New York Times, his absence was due to health issues. As a result, a judge issued a default judgment and allowed the case to proceed directly to the damages phase.

Twenty of the 40 plaintiffs testified in person. The rest submitted video depositions.

On Wednesday, April 9, the jury returned a decision: Toback must pay $280 million in compensatory damages and $1.4 billion in punitive damages, totaling $1.68 billion.

A message beyond money

The lead plaintiff, Mary Monahan, said in a statement that the James Toback sexual abuse verdict was about more than just the payout.

“This is not just a verdict—it’s validation,” Monahan said. “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.”

Toback has denied any wrongdoing and claimed previous encounters were consensual. As of now, he has not publicly responded to the jury’s decision.