10 months ago
Robert De Niro denied his erstwhile assistant's allegation that nan Oscar-winner's woman gave him an ultimatum during furious email exchanges that were read retired successful court successful New York City yesterday.
The actor, 80, is facing accusations he discriminated against his erstwhile adjunct Graham Chase Robinson, 41, successful a four-year ineligible conflict that went to proceedings connected Monday. The erstwhile adjunct worked for nan Raging Bull prima betwixt 2008 and 2019.
On Tuesday, De Niro took nan guidelines wherever emails and matter messages that he exchanged pinch his woman Tiffany Chen, 45, became portion of nan statement of questioning.
This included emails betwixt nan mates astatine 2am connected March 2, 2019, successful which Chen said: 'If you support her (Robinson) you and I will person problems'. Chen called Robinson 'f****** rude' and a 'dismissive b****.' De Niro denied that those words amounted to an ultimatum during his quality connected nan stand.
In different messages, Chen accused Robinson of behaving for illustration she was nan star's romanticist partner and alleged that she had an 'imaginary intimacy' pinch him.
Actor Robert De Niro, 80, departs national tribunal connected nan 2nd time of his proceedings connected October 31, 2023 successful New York City
The actor's erstwhile adjunct Graham Chase Robinson (pictured leaving tribunal connected Monday) alleges she was discriminated against by De Niro
Robert De Niro's woman Tiffany Chen pictured successful New York earlier this year
Chen alleged that her fellow was unsighted to Robinson's behavior.
'I don't cognize really you don't spot it. You don't want to spot it because you're excessively adjacent to her,' she wrote successful 1 email.
De Niro replied that he agreed and Robinson's behaviour was 'unacceptable.'
Chen answered: 'I'm not going to beryllium happy until you show maine she's looking for a replacement. Keeping her astir is conscionable a slap successful my face.'
Robinson’s attorney, Andrew Macurdy asked if De Niro agreed this was an 'ultimatum.'
De Niro replied: 'You telephone it an ultimatum, I don't'. He told nan assemblage he thought that it was a petition from Chen for Robinson to extremity moving astatine their townhouse successful Manhattan.
'No 1 tells maine what to do successful my office. Period!' he added.
Further emails shown to nan assemblage included Chen claiming Robinson had a 'crush' connected nan now-80-year-old, wherever she wrote, 'The much I find retired nan astir disgusted I become.'
Chen besides claimed that Robinson had a 'fantasy relationship' pinch De Niro.
By April 2, 2019, Robinson requested that she extremity moving astatine their location because of hostility successful nan house, suggesting she did not want a repetition of nan clashes betwixt De Niro's erstwhile individual adjunct and Grace Hightower, his ex-wife.
After reference nan email, Chen reacted pinch fury and emailed De Niro: 'This s**** really p***** maine off,' branding Robinson 'so manipulative.'
She said: 'This b**** needs to beryllium put successful her f****** place.'
In different email Chen wrote to De Niro saying: 'She's (Robinson's) sewage a f****** nervus pinch nan claims she's making successful that email.'
Four days aft that incident, emails sent by Chen were besides shown to nan tribunal that revealed she asked De Niro's accountants to probe Robinson's spending habits.
Earlier successful his questioning, De Niro admitted to nan tribunal that he ordered Robinson to scratch his back, angrily declaring: 'You sewage me!'
Robinson has accused nan character of gender discrimination while moving for his company, Canal Productions. De Niro's institution initially sued Robinson alleging improper spending of nan company's accounts.
In a July 2019 connection to woman Tiffany Chen, De Niro said: 'Can you judge Chase. Who nan f*** does she deliberation she is?'
De Niro's ineligible squad allege that Robinson misused a institution Amex to dainty herself to lavish vacations, bent bags, dinners, and gadgets
Robinson, who worked for De Niro betwixt 2008 and 2019, was paid $300,000 annually earlier she discontinue arsenic his vice president of accumulation and finance
Tiffany Chen and Robert De Niro depart nan Killers Of The Flower Moon reddish carpet during nan 76th yearly Cannes movie show astatine Palais des Festivals connected May 20, 202
De Niro and Chen met connected nan group of his 2017 flop The Intern which was filmed chiefly successful Brooklyn
The tribunal was shown messages from Chen to De Niro successful which she told him that if Robinson quit, he did not person to salary severance.
De Niro responded: 'I cognize but I'll do what's right.'
De Niro rejected nan thought that Chen was successful power of nan situation, telling nan court: 'She (Chen) had to person an sentiment (but) what I'm going to do, I'm going to do.'
Five days later Chen brought it up again and De Niro erstwhile again brushed disconnected nan thought his woman was calling nan shots.
He said: 'I don't attraction what she was saying. Maybe she was upset. I person to do what I person to do. She didn't understand definite things.'
De Niro reacted pinch fury erstwhile Robinson threatened to prosecute lawyers aft she resigned from his institution Canal Productions, nan tribunal heard.
Angry matter messages betwixt nan movie prima and Chen were besides shown to nan court.
In nan July 2019 message, De Niro said: 'Can you judge Chase. Who nan f*** does she deliberation she is?'
Chen replied: 'She thought she was your wife. I saw it from nan beginning. I told you.'
De Niro replied: 'The ba**s. The nerve. The chutzpah. The consciousness of entitlement. How situation her!'
Chen said: 'Tom will get her,' referring to De Niro's lawyer who was preparing to constitute a missive accusing her of stealing institution money.
De Niro passes done a information checkpoint arsenic he arrives astatine United States Court successful Manhattan
De Niro has earned rave reviews for his capacity successful Martin Scorsese's latest movie Killers of nan Flower Moon
At 1 point, De Niro became flustered and irate aft he was faced pinch allegations he subjected Robinson to years of abusive language, unwanted beingness advances and misogyny.
In a startling infinitesimal while connected nan stand, nan Taxi Driver prima confronted his accuser and said earlier a stunned courtroom: 'Shame connected you, Chase Robinson! God da**it! I'm sorry.'
Robinson began moving for De Niro successful 2008 arsenic his assistant, and yet roseate to nan position of vice-president of Canal Productions. It has been reported that she had a net of $300,000 erstwhile she resigned successful April 2019.
She alleges successful her suit that De Niro treated her for illustration an 'office wife', and made her execute menial tasks including washing his sheets and scratching his back. Robinson besides alleges that she was paid little than a antheral worker she felt had akin responsibilities.
She is seeking $12 cardinal successful damages for terrible affectional distress and reputational harm.
Her cardinal suit was quickly launched pursuing an first suit by De Niro's Canal Productions successful August 2019, accusing her of improper spending including transferring complete $450,000 worthy of hose miles from nan institution to her ain individual account.
She is besides accused of spending tens of thousands much connected individual items, nutrient and recreation and spending her days binge watching Netflix.
Both lawsuits are group to beryllium decided successful nan aforesaid trial, which is expected to past 2 weeks.
De Niro's proceedings has been marked by respective dispute moments betwixt his and Robinson's attorneys
Also connected Tuesday, De Niro faced questioning complete his alleged mistreatment of Robinson, including an incident wherever he allegedly ordered Robinson to scratch his back. When she asked if he could usage a backmost scratcher, he refused arsenic he liked nan measurement she did it, nan tribunal heard.
The prima grew visibly disappointment arsenic he batted disconnected questions, yet confessing that nan back-scratching occurred connected 2 occasions.
'Okay, twice? You sewage me! I'm saying this is nonsense,' he said connected nan stand. 'It was ne'er done pinch immoderate disrespect.'
In a startling moment, De Niro past confronted his erstwhile employee, bellowing to nan court: 'Shame connected you, Chase Robinson! God da**it! I'm sorry.'
Robinson's attorneys sought to represent De Niro arsenic a demanding boss, including by playing an audio signaling of nan character calling her astatine 6:30am connected a Sunday greeting to get entree to his computer.
De Niro participated successful complete 5 hours of grounds heard by nan tribunal Tuesday, offering a much elaborate glimpse astatine nan allegations against nan 80-year-old.
As good arsenic admitting to nan back-scratching allegations, De Niro besides acknowledged he has instructed Robinson to usage Uber to bid him a martini from nan Nobu sushi lounge precocious astatine night.
Robinson claimed that he called her doubly to interrupt her grandmother's ceremonial successful 2015 truthful she could bargain his teenage boy a autobus ticket. When questioned astir nan incident, he replied: 'So?'
He continued: 'If I did past I did,' adding he would person been 'sensitive to it being a funeral.'
De Niro said that it whitethorn person been a aftermath and that Robinson whitethorn person said she could 'talk astatine this point.'
He said: 'It's not for illustration it's a ceremonial wherever they're putting nan assemblage into nan ground, aliases whatever.' A testy De Niro called nan mobility 'bull' and stopped answering.
De Niro, seen successful a courtroom sketch, stunned nan courtroom connected Tuesday arsenic he confronted his accuser and told her 'shame connected you'
De Niro besides defended perchance branding Robinson a 'f***ing spoiled brat', allegedly successful a fiery connection near for nan staffer that was not played for nan jury, but was included successful her lawsuit.
He admitted he 'raised my voice' and that he was 'upset', because she had not woken him up for an important arena he had to attend.
'I could person too, I was upset,' he said. 'She didn't aftermath maine up and made maine miss this point successful Malibu.'
Robinson's lawyer Andrew Macurdy said that De Niro 'berated' Robinson connected nan telephone and he conceded 'that clip I did.'
The 2nd time of nan proceedings was marked by tense back-and-forth's from some sides, nevertheless location was a infinitesimal De Niro appeared to quip pinch his lawyer.
His lawyer took objection to nan questioning of his customer and based on it was 'improper impeachment', to which De Niro replied: 'Impeachment? Am I being impeached?'
'Had to opportunity it, sorry,' he added arsenic nan courtroom collapsed retired into laughter.
The character besides responded angrily to suggestions Robinson was not paid nan aforesaid arsenic his antheral trainer, arsenic nan tribunal heard she requested to beryllium paid nan aforesaid arsenic them successful 2018.
De Niro participated successful complete 5 hours of grounds heard connected Tuesday, successful a four-year ineligible conflict that yet reached a Manhattan tribunal connected Monday
He pushed backmost against suggestions she should person been paid nan aforesaid arsenic nan trainer that had 'traveled pinch maine for 40 years, near his family to beryllium pinch maine for agelong periods of time.'
He said, 'She's suspicious of him.'
De Niro was past asked if he said to Robinson connected nan telephone while urinating. He protested: 'I whitethorn person been successful nan bathroom. I didn't recognize I was talking. Come on! You sewage america each present coming for this?'
Macurdy asked if De Niro told Robinson to usage a coworkers' sperm to get pregnant.
De Niro said: 'I don't retrieve saying it.'
Asked if he ever called Robinson a 'b**** to her face,' De Niro said he was 'never abusive.
On nan aforesaid time that Robinson quit, she emailed De Niro she had been 'loyal, protective to nan constituent of alienating others' and having worked 'beyond difficult work' pinch 80-90 hr weeks.
When Robinson first revenge her suit 4 years ago, her lawyer based on connected Tuesday that she did truthful aft first trying to discontinue her domiciled successful November 2018 but was prevented by De Niro aft he warned he would springiness her a bad occupation reference.
Asked astir nan allegations, De Niro brushed them disconnected and replied: 'You’re saying I threatened her? I don’t do that. She worked for me, I treated her pinch respect.'
When questioned complete whether De Niro kept Robinson connected pinch a 'carrot and stick', an angry De Niro replied: 'What carrot and stick? I don't cognize what you're talking about. That's not my way.'
On nan 2nd time of nan proceedings connected Tuesday, De Niro became flustered and irate arsenic he took to nan guidelines to combat allegations he subjected Robinson to years of abusive language
De Niro said that they 'negotiated' and came to an statement - her net was accrued from $200,000 to $300,000 a year.
He said: 'I was going done a divorce, I was moving. I said this is not a bully time. I knew what she was doing. She picked a clip to opportunity she was going to leave. It was not for illustration I said you person to do this. We talked it over.'
Macurdy again asked if nan 'carrot' was an accrued salary.
De Niro angrily said: 'Carrot? I needed her. It wasn't a carrot. It wasn't being reliable 1 infinitesimal and bully nan next. A batch was going connected and I needed her to thief me.'
On June 11, 2019, a fewer months aft Robinson yet quit, she wrote to him asking why he was refusing to springiness her a missive of proposal for nan London School of Economics.
De Niro was besides asking her to motion a ineligible waiver which would person prevented her from suing him and his company.
Robinson suggested a severance package of 2 years of her $300,000 salary, 2 years of aesculapian sum and a gathering pinch De Niro.
He past alleged that while he whitethorn not marque her 'disloyal', he 'wanted to get her because she stole worldly from me.'
He continued: 'The full lawsuit is nonsense, it’s ridiculous... I wanted my things back, that’s each I’m asking. Return my things, return my aerial miles. Enough is enough.
'She had taken things from maine and not done nan correct thing. I asked her to return them but she didn’t do nan correct thing. She asked maine for a missive of recommendation, which nether nary circumstances would I ever, ever, ever sign.'
He told nan court: 'How overmuch of this maltreatment americium I going to take? This full lawsuit is nonsense. It's absurd.'
Robinson's lawyer based on that Canal Productions only revenge their suit first because nan staffer had threatened ineligible action, and nan institution wanted to 'embarrass her' successful nan nationalist oculus earlier she revenge her ain lawsuit.
'I don't attraction astir nan press,' De Niro fired back, successful 1 of nan astir dispute exchanges of nan day's proceedings.
'I cared astir her giving my worldly backmost and doing nan correct thing,' he added. 'I didn't want to ruin her. I person nary power complete nan press. She’s much press-oriented than I am. She should person thought, ‘I’ll springiness nan aerial miles back.’ Case closed, done.'
He said he told Robinson she had support to return up to 2 cardinal airmiles from nan institution relationship for emergencies, but assumed she would enactment nether an 'honor system' not to maltreatment nan privilege.
He claimed she was 'taking liberties' but he struggled to pinpoint circumstantial incidents wherever she allegedly abused that system.
Nor could he sanction immoderate taxis that his institution paid for and he now claims were for individual reasons.
De Niro said successful his suit that Robinson discontinue successful April 2019 aft 'suspicions arose' astir his staffers' 'honesty, integrity, activity ethic and motivation.' He added connected Tuesday that erstwhile he yet received her resignation, he was 'relieved.'
De Niro's ineligible squad person suggested Robinson 'always played nan victim' and was a money-hungry ex-employee.
'It's bully to activity for a movie star, but it tin beryllium mundane,' De Niro's attorney, Richard Schoenstein explained.
