A New York jury on Wednesday awarded $1.68 billion in damages to 40 women who accused writer and director James Toback of sexual abuse and other crimes over a span of 35 years, according to lawyers representing the plaintiffs.
The decision stems from a lawsuit filed in Manhattan in 2022 after New York state instituted a one-year window for people to file lawsuits over sexual assault claims even if they took place decades ago.
It marks one of the largest jury awards since the advent of the #MeToo movement, as well as in New York state history, said attorney Brad Beckworth, of the law firm Nix Patterson LLP, in an interview. The plaintiffs, he said, believe such a large verdict will send a message to powerful individuals “who don't treat women appropriately.”
The court had not yet released documentation of the verdict as of Wednesday night. Beckworth said the verdict included $280 million in compensatory damages and $1.4 billion for punitive damages to the plaintiffs.
“This verdict is about justice,” Beckworth said in a statement. “But more importantly, It’s about taking power back from the abusers — and their and enablers — and returning it to those he tried to control and silence.”
Beckworth said the abuse took place between 1979 and 2014.
Toback was nominated for an Oscar for writing 1991′s “Bugsy,” and his career in Hollywood has spanned more than 40 years. Accusations that he engaged in years of sexual abuse surfaced in late 2017 as the #MeToo movement gained attention. They were first reported by the Los Angeles Times.
In 2018, Los Angeles prosecutors said the statutes of limitations had expired in five cases they reviewed, and declined to bring criminal charges against Toback.
The plaintiffs then filed a lawsuit in New York a few days after the state's Adult Survivors Act went into effect. The lawyers said they discovered a pattern of Toback attempting to lure young women on the streets of New York into meeting him by falsely promising roles in his films and then subjecting them to sexual acts, threats and psychological coercion.
Mary Monahan, a lead plaintiff in the case, called the jury award “validation” for her and the other women.
“For decades, I carried this trauma in silence, and today, a jury believed me. Believed us. That changes everything,” she said in a statement. “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.”
Toback, 80, who most recently had represented himself, denied numerous times in court documents that he “committed any sexual offense” and that “any sexual encounter or contact between Plaintiffs and Defendant was consensual.”
He also argued that New York's law extending the statute of limitations on sexual abuse cases violated his constitutional rights.
A message sent to an email address listed for him seeking comment was not immediately answered.
In January, the judge in the case entered a default judgment against Toback, who had failed to appear in court when ordered to do so. The judge then scheduled a trial for only damages last month to determine how much Toback had to pay the women.
FILE - James Toback arrives at the 2014 AFI Fest "The Gambler" Nov. 10, 2014, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)
MIAMI (AP) — Here's a guide what you need to know about Sunday's Miami F1 Grand Prix. It's the sixth round of the 2025 Formula 1 season.
— In the U.S., on ABC.
— Other countries are listed here.
— Friday: First practice and qualifying for the sprint race.
— Saturday: Sprint race and qualifying for the Grand Prix.
— Sunday: Miami Grand Prix, 57 laps of the 5.4-kilometer (3.4-mile) Miami International Autodrome. Starts at 4 p.m. ET (2000 GMT).
The Miami International Autodrome brings a Florida party vibe to F1 with yachts set up on a mock harbor trackside as VIP viewing platforms. It's the fourth time F1 has visited the temporary track, which loops around Hard Rock Stadium. Overtaking can be difficult and barriers close to the track punish mistakes. Max Verstappen won the first two races in Miami but last year there was a statement win for Lando Norris and McLaren. Heat and tire wear could favor McLaren again this year.
Oscar Piastri won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to become the first Australian to lead the F1 standings since 2010. The key moment was at the first corner when Piastri challenged Verstappen for the lead and the Dutch driver went off track and rejoined in front. Verstappen was given a penalty and lost the lead at his pit stop. McLaren remains the top team on all-round pace. Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren have all challenged for wins on different tracks but haven't adapted well when conditions don't suit their cars.
Get caught up:
— Max Verstappen delighted at birth of his first child with partner Kelly Piquet
— No team orders: McLaren plans to ‘let ‘em race’ as Piastri and Norris battle for F1 championship
— Russell not impressed by FIA hinting at relaxing rules against cursing and code of driver conduct
— McLaren driver Oscar Piastri wins F1’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to take overall lead
— ‘I cannot share my opinion’: Max Verstappen stays tight-lipped on race-deciding penalty
— Is the punishment for cursing in F1 too harsh? Racing boss hints at changes after driver backlash
— General Motors’ plans to supply Formula 1 engines from 2029 are approved by the FIA
— FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem picks a longtime Ford partner for top sports role
3 — Oscar Piastri is aiming for his third win in a row. The last Australian driver to achieve that feat in F1 was Alan Jones in 1981.
0/3 — None of Miami's three Grand Prix races so far have been won by the driver who started on the pole. Norris won last year from fifth on the grid.
77 — McLaren's lead in the constructors' championship over Mercedes, the only other team with even half of McLaren's 188-point haul.
“Let ’em race.” — McLaren boss Zak Brown on the championship battle between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.
“We (drivers) are clear we want changes. And once they are implemented, then we’ll comment.” — George Russell on relaxing rules against cursing and code of driver conduct.
“I want to be leading (the championship) after round 24, not round five.” — Oscar Piastri.
“You can’t share your opinion because it’s not appreciated, apparently, or people can’t handle the full truth.” — Max Verstappen refuses to discuss his crucial penalty at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
“We just need a better car.” — Ferrari's Charles Leclerc after finishing third in Saudi Arabia.
AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
Race winner McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia, second right, poses with second placed Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands, left, and third placed Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco, right, after the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia celebrates after winning the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia celebrates after winning the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, April 20, 2025.(AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia celebrates on the podium after winning the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
