A New York jury has awarded $1.68 billion in damages to 40 women who accused screenwriter and director James Toback of sexual misconduct spanning more than three decades.
The verdict, delivered on Wednesday, stems from a 2022 lawsuit filed under New York’s Adult Survivors Act.
The law temporarily lifted the statute of limitations for civil claims related to sexual abuse.
The case is now one of the most significant jury awards in the state’s history and a defining moment in the post-#MeToo legal landscape.
According to attorneys representing the plaintiffs, the jury awarded $280 million in compensatory damages and a staggering $1.4 billion in punitive damages. The decision comes after Toback, 80, failed to appear in court, leading the judge to issue a default judgment against him earlier this year. The trial then proceeded solely to determine the amount of damages owed.
“This verdict represents more than compensation — it’s about justice and accountability,” said Brad Beckworth, lead counsel for the plaintiffs at Nix Patterson LLP.
“It’s a powerful message to those who misuse their influence and the people who shield them.”
Toback, who gained prominence in Hollywood as the Oscar-nominated screenwriter of Bugsy in 1991, was first accused of serial abuse in 2017 at the height of the #MeToo movement.
Despite widespread allegations, Los Angeles prosecutors declined to pursue criminal charges in 2018, citing expired statutes of limitations in the five cases they reviewed.
In the civil suit, the plaintiffs alleged that Toback manipulated and preyed on young women, often luring them off the streets of New York under the guise of auditioning for movie roles. Once behind closed doors, he reportedly subjected them to various forms of sexual abuse, coercion, threats, and psychological manipulation from 1979 to 2014.
Mary Monahan, a lead plaintiff in the case, described the jury’s ruling as a long-awaited validation. “For years, I carried this pain alone,” she said.
“But today, a jury listened, believed us, and changed everything. We are not disposable, we are not collateral damage, and we are not liars. What he did to us was real — and now the world knows.”
Attorney Herb Subin, a veteran personal injury lawyer, noted that the jury’s massive punitive award reflects an intent to punish Toback and deter similar behavior from others. “They wanted to send a message that this kind of abuse will not go unanswered,” he said.
Toback has consistently denied all allegations. In court filings, he claimed that any encounters were consensual and argued that his health conditions — including diabetes and heart issues — made the accusations “biologically impossible.” He also challenged the constitutionality of the Adult Survivors Act.
Despite his denials, public accusations against Toback have continued to mount since 2017, with more than 300 women coming forward, including prominent actresses. Selma Blair, Julianne Moore, Ellen Pompeo, and Rachel McAdams have all spoken publicly about inappropriate and predatory behavior by Tobey Maguire during alleged encounters.
Moore recounted being approached twice by Toback in the 1980s with identical pitches to audition in his apartment — both of which she declined.
Pompeo revealed he propositioned her within seconds of her male friend leaving the room, asking if she would appear nude in a film.
In a Vanity Fair interview, McAdams described a disturbing encounter in which what was presented as an audition quickly turned into an “uncomfortable and confusing situation.”
The lawsuit and resulting verdict were only made possible through the Adult Survivors Act, which created a one-year window for adult survivors of sexual abuse to seek justice through civil court, regardless of when the abuse occurred.
Although that window has since closed, legal experts say the impact of this case will resonate for years.
The court had not yet released the official ruling documentation as of Wednesday night. Attempts to reach Toback for comment were unsuccessful.
This landmark case underscores the enduring impact of the #MeToo movement and marks a significant legal victory for survivors seeking justice against influential figures in the entertainment industry.
M10news
