Embattled city “Taxi King” Gene Freidman must pay $1.3 million to a former employee who accused him of sexual harassment.
Brooklyn federal court Judge Anne Donnelly ordered the hefty $1,340,914.97 payment to Elaine Gutierrez, which includes $130,000 for pain and suffering, $295,032.19 for economic losses, $64714.14 for attorneys’ fees and costs and $850,000 in punitive damages, as well as prejudgment interest of $1,168.64.
Donnelly’s order comes after Magistrate Judge Vera Scanlon, who oversaw the hearings, recommended Freidman be liable for the same amount of money.
Gutierrez worked for Freidman’s now-defunct company, Taxi Club Management.
She claimed that he frequently mentioned her breasts, exclaiming, “Oh, your big boobs!” and “Get your big boobs out of my face!” per court papers.
Freidman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“Ms. Gutierrez is very pleased that the Court has formally adopted the recommendation and granted judgment against Mr. Freidman and his company,” said her lawyer, Lawrence Pearson of Wigdor LLP, in a statement.
“In the #MeToo era, the message is clear: no one, not even the so-called ‘Taxi King,’ is above the law when it comes to workplace sexual harassment.”