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☆ Robert De Niro’s production company ordered to pay ex-employee $1.2 million in civil case
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Alli Rosenbloom | Marianne Garvey | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —A Manhattan jury on Thursday found actor Robert De Niro’s production company, Canal Productions, liable for gender discrimination and retaliation in a civil trial related to a workplace dispute brought by De Niro’s former assistant, Graham Chase Robinson. The jury also considered claims by Canal Productions that were first filed in state court against Robinson for alleged misuse of company funds. “We are delighted that the jury saw what we saw and returned a verdict in Chase Robinson’s favor against Robert De Niro’s company, Canal Productions. According to the New York Times, Richard C. Schoenstein, a lawyer for De Niro and Canal Productions, said on Thursday outside court, “Mr. Robinson sought at least $12 million in damages for alleged emotional distress and reputational harm from De Niro and Canal Productions.

Persons: Robert De Niro’s, De Niro’s, Graham Chase Robinson, Robinson, “, Chase Robinson’s, Ms, ”, David Sanford, De Niro, Richard C, De, “ Mr, “ De Niro Organizations: CNN, Canal Productions, De, New York Times, Productions, Inc Locations: Manhattan, De Niro

☆ Robert De Niro’s Company Is Found Liable for Gender Discrimination
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Julia Jacobs | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A federal jury in Manhattan on Thursday found Robert De Niro’s company liable for gender discrimination against a former employee who claimed that the actor assigned her “stereotypically female” job responsibilities such as washing his sheets and attending to his home even as she climbed the ranks of his company, awarding her $1.3 million in damages. Mr. De Niro and his former employee, Graham Chase Robinson, had been locked in a legal battle for the past four years over her claims, as well as the assertions by Canal Productions that Ms. Robinson had improperly spent tens of thousands of dollars of company money on food, travel and other personal charges, and had also co-opted roughly 4.5 million airline miles using company credit card points. The jury of seven people, who reached a unanimous decision, did not find Ms. Robinson liable for Canal’s claims against her. After five hours of deliberations, the jury also found Mr. De Niro’s company liable for Ms. Robinson’s claim of retaliation, which revolved around a dispute in 2019 between her and Mr. De Niro’s girlfriend that ultimately resulted in Ms. Robinson’s resignation from the company she had worked at for more than a decade. The jury did not find Mr. De Niro as an individual liable for either gender discrimination or retaliation.

Persons: Robert De Niro’s, De Niro, Graham Chase Robinson, Robinson, De, Robinson’s Organizations: Canal Productions Locations: Manhattan

NEW YORK (AP) — A jury awarded more than $1.2 million to Robert De Niro’s former personal assistant Thursday, finding one of his companies responsible for subjecting her to a toxic work environment. “We're thrilled with the verdict,” Robinson's attorney, Brent Hannafan, said as he stood with his client outside the courthouse. Robinson testified that she never had romantic interest in De Niro. I lost everything.”De Niro's lawyers sued Robinson for breach of loyalty and fiduciary duty even before her lawsuit was filed against him in 2019. They sought $6 million in damages, including a return of the 5 million airline miles.

Persons: —, Robert De Niro’s, De Niro, Graham Chase Robinson, Robinson, “ We're, ”, Brent Hannafan, Richard Schoenstein, ” Schoenstein, “, De, Tiffany Chen, Chen, Niro, Chase Robinson, ” De Niro, hasn't, ” De, Martin Scorsese Organizations: Canal Productions, Productions Locations: De Niro

Political Cartoons View All 1237 Images“This trial is the ultimate version of drama and conflict,” he said. Robinson, 41, worked for one of De Niro’s companies, Canal Productions, beginning in 2008 as a personal assistant for less than $100,000 in salary. By 2019, De Niro had agreed to pay her $300,000 annually and elevated her title, making her vice president of production and finance. De Niro sat relaxed in a chair between two of his lawyers during closing arguments. He said 5 million airline miles pocketed by Robinson were worth about $85,000 and that his client just wants “stuff back.”“Use your common sense,” Schoenstein told jurors.

Persons: — Robert De Niro, Brent Hannafan, Graham Chase, De, Richard Schoenstein, Robinson, De Niro, ” Hannafan, “, ”, Schoenstein, didn't, De Niro's, Martin Scorsese, he'd, Chase Robinson, Tiffany Chen, De Niro’s, Chen, ” Schoenstein Organizations: Canal Productions Locations: Manhattan

NEW YORK (AP) — Robert De Niro’s former top executive assistant said she found it “creepy” when the actor insisted she scratch his back, an example of behavior she found controlling and abusive before she quit her job in 2019, she testified Friday at a New York civil trial. I lost my life. De Niro has asked a jury to award him $6 million on breach of loyalty and fiduciary duty grounds. Robinson portrayed De Niro in her testimony as sexist with his language toward female employees and discriminatory in how he paid them. “He was screaming about not being able to find some of the presents,” Robinson said.

Persons: — Robert De Niro’s, Graham Chase Robinson, De Niro, ”, “, hasn't, Robinson, Niro, Chase Robinson, Hunter ”, Martin Scorsese, ” Robinson Organizations: De, Canal Productions Locations: New York, Manhattan

De Niro, referenced mostly as “Bob” in court, has not returned to court since his testimony concluded Tuesday. Asked Thursday by her lawyer how common it was for De Niro to lash out angrily, Robinson remided the jury of that outburst. De Niro testified that he granted the title change at Robinson's request but her job duties didn't change. She said no, and also denied ever wanting to live with, marry or have a child with the actor. Once when she took a friend's daughter out for her 21st birthday, Robinson recalled, De Niro called her later that evening and asked her to bring him a martini from the restaurant.

Persons: —, Robert De Niro’s, Graham Chase Robinson, De Niro, Robinson, Niro, Bob ”, Chase Robinson, ” Robinson, Tiffany Chen, De Niro's, Chen, ”, “ Organizations: Canal Productions Locations: Manhattan

Macurdy asked De Niro whether it was true that he sometimes urinated as he spoke with Robinson on the telephone. Sometimes, De Niro sounded like he wanted to leave the witness stand. He rejected Macurdy's suggestion that he sued Robinson before she sued him because he wanted publicity. It's the last thing I wanted to do,” De Niro said. De Niro, 80, has won two Oscars in a six-decade movie career that has featured memorable roles in films including “The Deer Hunter” and “Raging Bull."

Persons: Robert De Niro, Graham Chase Robinson, De, Andrew Macurdy, Robinson, De Niro, De Niro's, Niro, Macurdy, ” De Niro, “, —, ”, Chase Robinson, Judge Lewis J, Liman, ” “, ” Macurdy, Hunter ”, Martin Scorsese's Organizations: De, Canal Productions Locations: New York, Europe, California

NEW YORK (AP) — Robert De Niro testified Monday in New York City at a trial resulting from a former personal assistant’s lawsuit accusing the actor of being an abusive boss. Robinson, who worked for De Niro between 2008 and 2019, was paid $300,000 annually before she quit as his vice president of production and finance. But when a lawyer for Robinson asked him if he considered her a conscientious employee, he scoffed. Repeatedly, Judge Lewis J. Liman explained the rules of testimony to De Niro and that there were limits to what he could say. “Can I ask a question?” De Niro asked in one exchange with Robinson's lawyer.

Persons: — Robert De Niro, De Niro, Oscar, Hunter ”, ”, Graham Chase Robinson, Robinson, “, Robinson's, Lewis J, Liman, ” De Niro, Tiffany Chen, Niro, Chen, De, Andrew Macurdy, Macurdy, ” De, Richard Schoenstein, countersued Robinson, Schoenstein Organizations: De, Canal Productions Locations: New York City, Manhattan, De Niro

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