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A New York jury has awarded $1.68 billion in damages to 40 women who accused Hollywood screenwriter and director James Toback of sexual abuse and misconduct spanning more than three decades. The decision marks one of the largest jury awards in the #MeToo era and one of the largest in New York’s history, according to attorneys for the plaintiffs, the Associated Press reported per National Public Radio.
The verdict stems from a 2022 lawsuit filed shortly after New York enacted the Adult Survivors Act, a law that opened a one-year window allowing individuals to sue over sexual assault claims regardless of when they occurred. The abuse in the Toback case allegedly took place between 1979 and 2014.
A plaintiff’s attorney said the jury’s decision includes $280 million in compensatory damages and $1.4 billion in punitive damages. “This verdict is about justice,” the attorney 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.”
Plaintiffs are optimistic the historic verdict sends a strong message to people in power who have mistreated women. “The plaintiffs believe such a large verdict will send a message to powerful individuals who don’t treat women appropriately,” said the attorney.
Toback, known for his Oscar-nominated screenplay for the 1991 film Bugsy, was accused of using his influence in Hollywood to lure aspiring actresses and young women under false pretenses. According to court filings, Toback often approached women on the streets of New York, falsely promising acting roles in exchange for meetings that ultimately led to coercion, threats, and unwanted sexual acts.
The allegations of quid pro quo sexual harassment and abuse were first made public in 2017, when the Los Angeles Times published a report as the #MeToo movement gained momentum. While the accusations prompted multiple investigations, criminal prosecution never followed. In 2018, Los Angeles prosecutors declined to bring charges in five reviewed cases, citing expired statutes of limitations.
In New York, however, the recently passed Adult Survivors Act gave survivors another path to justice. The lawsuit filed under this law detailed what attorneys described as a long-standing pattern of predatory behavior by Toback. One of the plaintiffs, Mary Monahan, called the jury award a turning point. “For decades, I carried this trauma in silence, and today, a jury believed me. Believed us. That changes everything,” she said. “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, now 80 years old, had been representing himself in the case. He has repeatedly denied the allegations in court filings, claiming that any encounters with the plaintiffs were consensual and that he never committed any sexual offenses. He also argued that New York’s law extending the statute of limitations was unconstitutional.
In January, the judge overseeing the case entered a default judgment against Toback after he failed to appear in court when ordered. The trial last month was held solely to determine the amount of damages he owed to the plaintiffs.
As of the time of the verdict, court documentation had not yet been released, and Toback had not issued a statement. A message sent by the AP to an email address listed for him was not immediately returned.
Take Action Against Quid Pro Quo Sexual Harassment: You Don’t Have to Stay Silent
If you’ve experienced quid pro quo sexual harassment or abuse, you are not alone. The law is on your side—and so are we. Survivors Rights can connect you with an experienced attorney who understand the emotional and legal complexities of this area of the law. Fill out the form below to speak confidentially with a compassionate intake specialist who will help you explore your options and take the first step toward justice. To learn more about filing a quid pro quo sexual harassment/abuse lawsuit, visit this page.
