A Los Angeles jury has ordered Greek billionaire Alki David to pay $900 million in damages to a former employee who accused him of sexual assault. The verdict was reached on Monday. The Los Angeles court's Monday ruling is believed to be the largest compensation ever awarded to a victim in a case of this nature.
The woman, known as Jane Doe, alleged that David harassed and raped her over a three-year period. Her attorney, Gary Dordick, described the case as "despicable," stating that David raped her while he was on trial for another sexual misconduct case.
The abuse began in February 2016 when Jane Doe worked as a model for several of David's companies, including Hologram USA, which creates holograms of deceased celebrities. Jane Doe's lawyers described the work environment as "alarmingly hostile,"
Despite being an heir to the Coca-Cola fortune, Alki David built his own success with Hologram USA, which created holograms of famous artists like Michael Jackson.
During the trial, the court heard shocking claims about David, including the use of a pornographic image labeled "HER-ASS" on his company's HR department door. His behavior was allegedly so rampant that his office was referred to as the "rape room" by staff.
David first attempted to kiss Doe during a work trip to his private island in Greece. She rejected him, and he apologized. Later that year, she was laid off. In 2018, David invited her to join his cannabis manufacturing company, Swiss-X, as a brand ambassador. After accepting the job, he allegedly gave her a substance claiming it was CBD, which left her feeling inebriated.
Jane Doe accused David of taking advantage of her condition, masturbating in front of her, and forcing her to touch him sexually. The abuse escalated the following year when David allegedly raped her during a business meeting.
At the time of the assault, David was already on trial for another case involving sexual misconduct. He had previously been ordered to pay $58 million to an employee for similar charges.
Other employees have also accused David of inappropriate behavior and coercion. Dordick hailed the $900 million verdict as a significant triumph for justice and a precedent in the fight against workplace sexual assault.
