James Toback Ordered to Pay $1.68 Billion in Landmark Sexual Misconduct Verdict

A New York jury awarded damages to 40 women, marking one of the largest verdicts in state history and a major milestone in the fight against abuse of power in the entertainment industry.

The jury awarded $280 million in compensatory damages and $1.4 billion in punitive damages to 40 women who accused filmmaker James Toback of sexual assault, coercion, false imprisonment, and psychological abuse.
The lawsuit, filed under New York's Adult Survivors Act, allowed survivors to bring claims spanning from 1979 to 2014, despite the incidents occurring decades ago.
Toback did not attend the trial or participate in the proceedings after his attempts to have the case dismissed were denied, leading to a default judgment against him.
Survivors described the verdict as a validation of their experiences and a powerful message against the abuse of power in the entertainment industry.
The $1.68 billion award is one of the largest in sexual assault cases in New York history, reinforcing the ongoing impact of the #MeToo movement and efforts to hold influential figures accountable.