Warning: This article contains discussion of sexual harassment and rape that some readers may find distressing
The heir to a Coca Cola bottling fortune has been ordered to pay a $900 million settlement after an employee accused him of sexual assault.
A Los Angeles jury gave the ruling against Alki David unanimously, marking one of the largest sexual assault settlements ever awarded.
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In the suit the woman, identified in court documents only as Jane Doe, alleged that David had harassed and raped her over a period of three years.
The suit claims that the alleged abuse began in 2016 while the victim was working as a model for a number of David's companies.
These included Hologram USA, a company which creates holograms of deceased celebrities.
A statement released by lawyers representing the claimant alleged that the office environment was 'alarmingly hostile'.
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This included one room which was referred to as 'the rape room', while the door to the human resources department was adorned with a pornographic image labelled 'HER-ASS'.
Evidence presented in the court hearings indicated that some of the alleged abuse had occurred while David was involved in separate court proceedings for different sexual assault allegations.
Attorney Gary Dordick told the Los Angeles Times: “This monumental verdict marks a significant triumph for justice and sets a precedent in the fight against workplace sexual assault."
The jury awarded $100 million in compensatory damages as well as $800 million in punitive damages, bringing the total to $900 million.
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Dordick law who represented the claimant called the case a 'monumental victory' in a statement on their website.
The firm added that the verdict "marks a significant triumph for justice and sets a precedent in the fight against workplace sexual assault."
It went on: "This unprecedented verdict not only delivers justice to Jane Doe but also sends a powerful message to all victims of sexual assault: your voice matters, and justice is within reach."
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Among the allegations was an incident in which David allegedly invited Doe back to his hotel room and offered her what he claimed was a CBD product, which made her feel disoriented and inebriated.
The lawsuit alleged that David took advantage of her inebriated state to masturbate in front of her and force her to touch him in an inappropriate manner.
The report in the LA Times claims that the abuse escalated the following year, when David allegedly raped Doe in a small room during a business meeting.
Other employees of David have also claimed that he had tried to force himself on them, or fired them for refusing his advances.
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If you've been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can contact The National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800.656.HOPE (4673), available 24/7. Or you can chat online via online.rainn.org
Topics: News, US News, Court, Money, Sexual Abuse
Kit Roberts