Hollywood pervert? James Toback ordered to pay $1.68 billion to 40 women

Hollywood director and writer James Toback was ordered by a New York jury to pay $1.68 billion in damages to 40 women who accused him of sexual abuse.

The first lawsuit in this case was filed in Manhattan in 2022, after the state of New York opened a one-year window for individuals to file lawsuits over sexual assault claims, even those dating back decades. The accusations against Toback span over 35 years.

Attorneys representing the accusers believe this to be one of the largest sexual assault-related payouts in New York’s history. The accusations included sexual assault, false imprisonment, coercion, and psychological abuse.

Brad Beckworth, one of the attorneys in the case, said the award included $280 million in compensatory damages and $1.4 billion in punitive damages.

“This verdict is about justice,” Beckworth said in a statement. “But more importantly, it’s about taking power back from the abusers —and their enablers — and returning it to those he tried to control and silence.”

Toback previously denied all wrongdoing. He did not have legal representation during the trial.

Toback was nominated for an Oscar in 1991 for writing the film Bugsy.

#METOO MOVEMENT’S ROLE IN TOBACK’S CASE

The #MeToo movement reshaped public conversations around sexual abuse and held many prominent individuals accountable. In 2017, when the movement gained global traction on social media, the first allegations against Toback surfaced.

However, in 2018, prosecutors in Los Angeles said five of the cases were beyond the statute of limitations. The complainants later pursued justice in New York after the Adult Survivors Act took effect.

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