Director James Toback has been ordered to pay $1.68 billion in damages to dozens of women who accused him of sexual assault. The verdict was handed down on Wednesday and is believed to be the largest ever awarded in a sexual assault case in New York state.
Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/celebrity-big-brother-mickey-rourke-issued-warning-after-homophobic-language-towards-jojo-siwa-8945731">Celebrity Big Brother: Mickey Rourke issued warning after homophobic language towards JoJo Siwa</a>
<h2>Largest sexual assault damages in state history</h2>
Throughout a seven-day trial, forty women took the stand and shared harrowing accounts of manipulation, coercion, and abuse that spanned more than forty years. "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, the lawyer representing the plaintiffs.
Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/it-was-not-my-doing-former-scream-7-director-clears-the-air-on-controversial-melissa-barrera-firing-8945787">'It was not my doing': Former Scream 7 director clears the air on controversial Melissa Barrera firing</a>
The jury granted $280 million in compensatory damages and an additional $1.4 billion in punitive damages. Toback was absent from the courtroom and had previously denied all allegations, insisting that any sexual encounters were consensual.
<h2>The New York Adult Survivors Act</h2>
Toback launched his career in 1974 as the screenwriter of The Gambler and later made his directorial debut with Fingers in 1978. He gained critical recognition for directing the 1991 film Bugsy, which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Screenplay.
Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/phule-movie-release-postponed-phule-controversy-pratik-gandhi-patralekha-phule-release-date-8944399">Phule release postponed amid backlash from Brahmin groups: Know all about the controversy</a>
The women were able to bring forward their claims under the New York Adult Survivors Act, which allowed victims of sexual assault to file lawsuits within a one-year period during which the statute of limitations was lifted.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/good-bad-ugly-x-review-check-out-what-fans-have-to-say-about-ajiths-gangster-flick-8945667">Good Bad Ugly X review: Check out what fans have to say about Ajith's gangster flick</a>

Director James Toback has been ordered to pay $1.68 billion in damages to dozens of women who accused him of sexual assault. The verdict was handed down on Wednesday.

Director James Toback has been ordered to pay $1.68 billion in damages to dozens of women who accused him of sexual assault. The verdict was handed down on Wednesday and is believed to be the largest ever awarded in a sexual assault case in New York state. Also Read: Celebrity Big Brother: Mickey Rourke issued warning after homophobic language towards JoJo Siwa Largest sexual assault damages in state history Throughout a seven-day trial, forty women took the stand and shared harrowing accounts of manipulation, coercion, and abuse that spanned more than forty years. "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, the lawyer representing the plaintiffs. Also Read: 'It was not my doing': Former Scream 7 director clears the air on controversial Melissa Barrera firing The jury granted $280 million in compensatory damages and an additional $1.4 billion in punitive damages. Toback was absent from the courtroom and had previously denied all allegations, insisting that any sexual encounters were consensual. The New York Adult Survivors Act Toback launched his career in 1974 as the screenwriter of The Gambler and later made his directorial debut with Fingers in 1978. He gained critical recognition for directing the 1991 film Bugsy, which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Screenplay. Also Read: Phule release postponed amid backlash from Brahmin groups: Know all about the controversy The women were able to bring forward their claims under the New York Adult Survivors Act, which allowed victims of sexual assault to file lawsuits within a one-year period during which the statute of limitations was lifted. Also Read: Good Bad Ugly X review: Check out what fans have to say about Ajith's gangster flick

Director James Toback ordered to pay $1.7 Billion to 40 women for sexual assault in historic ruling

The Hollywood sexual abuse scandal widened Monday after 38 women were reported to have accused US film director James Toback of unwanted sexual encounters over a period of decades.

Toback reeled them in with boasts about his movie career and connections and with claims he could make them a star, according to their accounts to the Los Angeles Times.

But in meetings framed as interviews or auditions, he allegedly would turn disturbingly personal, with questions veering to masturbation and pubic hair, the Times said.

&quot;He told me he&#39;d love nothing more than to masturbate while looking into my eyes,&quot; &nbsp;Louise Post, who met Toback in 1987 while attending Barnard College, told the Times.

&quot;Going to his apartment has been the source of shame for the past 30 years, that I allowed myself to be so gullible,&quot; said Post, who is now a guitarist and singer for Veruca Salt, an indie rock band.

Toback denied the allegations, telling the Times he had never met the women or if he did it &quot;was for five minutes and have no recollection.&quot;

Toback, who is now 72, has been a writer and film director since 1974. His most recent movie &quot;The Private Life of a Modern Woman,&quot; starring Sienna Miller, premiered this year at the Venice Film Festival.&nbsp;

In 1987, he made the semi-autobiographical &quot;The Pick-up Artist.&quot;

Other credits include the Oscar-nominated screenplay for &quot;Bugsy,&quot; directed by Barry Levinson and starring Warren Beatty and Annette Bening.

The Times said it interviewed all 38 women who came forth separately -- 31 of them on the record -- as well as people they had spoken to about the incidents at the time.

None had reported the encounters to the police at the time.

A cascade of accounts by women of sexual abuse has flooded social media under the hashtag #MeToo since a similar scandal surrounding movie mogul Harvey Weinstein erupted earlier this month.

A Who&#39;s Who of actresses and models have come forward to accuse Weinstein of rape, sexual assault and harassment, and of using his intimidating power in Hollywood to keep his behavior hushed up.

Weinstein, who is reported to have checked himself into a rehab program in Arizona for sexual addicts, insists all his sexual encounters have been consensual.

Criminal investigations in his case are underway in New York, London and Los Angeles.

The women were reported to have accused the US film director of unwanted sexual encounters over a period of decades

The Hollywood sexual abuse scandal widened Monday after 38 women were reported to have accused US film director James Toback of unwanted sexual encounters over a period of decades. Toback reeled them in with boasts about his movie career and connections and with claims he could make them a star, according to their accounts to the Los Angeles Times. But in meetings framed as interviews or auditions, he allegedly would turn disturbingly personal, with questions veering to masturbation and pubic hair, the Times said. "He told me he'd love nothing more than to masturbate while looking into my eyes," Louise Post, who met Toback in 1987 while attending Barnard College, told the Times. "Going to his apartment has been the source of shame for the past 30 years, that I allowed myself to be so gullible," said Post, who is now a guitarist and singer for Veruca Salt, an indie rock band. Toback denied the allegations, telling the Times he had never met the women or if he did it "was for five minutes and have no recollection." Toback, who is now 72, has been a writer and film director since 1974. His most recent movie "The Private Life of a Modern Woman," starring Sienna Miller, premiered this year at the Venice Film Festival. In 1987, he made the semi-autobiographical "The Pick-up Artist." Other credits include the Oscar-nominated screenplay for "Bugsy," directed by Barry Levinson and starring Warren Beatty and Annette Bening. The Times said it interviewed all 38 women who came forth separately -- 31 of them on the record -- as well as people they had spoken to about the incidents at the time. None had reported the encounters to the police at the time. A cascade of accounts by women of sexual abuse has flooded social media under the hashtag #MeToo since a similar scandal surrounding movie mogul Harvey Weinstein erupted earlier this month. A Who's Who of actresses and models have come forward to accuse Weinstein of rape, sexual assault and harassment, and of using his intimidating power in Hollywood to keep his behavior hushed up. Weinstein, who is reported to have checked himself into a rehab program in Arizona for sexual addicts, insists all his sexual encounters have been consensual. Criminal investigations in his case are underway in New York, London and Los Angeles.

38 women accuse US director James Toback of sexual harassment

james-toback

James Toback, News on James Toback, stories on James Toback, articles on James Toback, James Toback stories at Wion, James Toback news, James Toback latest news

james toback

Director James Toback ordered to pay $1.7 Billion to 40 women for sexual assault in historic ruling

38 women accuse US director James Toback of sexual harassment