Latest news with #civiltrial
CBC
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
Just for Laughs founder Gilbert Rozon says he is a target of #MeToo movement
Just for Laughs founder Gilbert Rozon says the nine women suing him for sexual assault are motivated by money. The cross-examination of the disgraced former comedy mogul began Wednesday morning at his civil trial in Montreal, where he's being sued for nearly $14 million. He told the plaintiffs' lawyer the women had "invented a truth" for financial gain and said their stories have changed over time. Rozon, who started the comedy festival in the 1980s, says the women who testified against him are part of a coalition and influenced each other. He also says he became a target of the #MeToo movement, a global campaign raising awareness of sexual violence against women. Rozon has denied the allegations against him, and has said he chose to fight the case in court to prevent the legalization of extortion.
CTV News
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Just for Laughs founder Gilbert Rozon says he is a target of #MeToo movement
Just for Laughs founder Gilbert Rozon leaves during a break in his civil trial at the courthouse in Montreal, on Monday, June 30, 2025. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press) Just for Laughs founder Gilbert Rozon says the nine women suing him for sexual assault are motivated by money. The cross-examination of the disgraced former comedy mogul began this morning at his civil trial in Montreal, where he's being sued for nearly $14 million. He told the plaintiffs' lawyer the women had 'invented a truth' for financial gain and said their stories have changed over time. Rozon, who started the comedy festival in the 1980s, says the women who testified against him are part of a coalition and influenced each other. He also says he became a target of the #MeToo movement, a global campaign raising awareness of sexual violence against women. Rozon has denied the allegations against him, and has said he chose to fight the case in court to prevent the legalization of extortion. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 2, 2025.
CTV News
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Just for Laughs's Gilbert Rozon says rumours of sexual misconduct cost company $30M
Just for Laughs founder Gilbert Rozon is seen at the courthouse during a break in his civil trial in Montreal on Monday, June 2, 2025. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press) Just for Laughs founder Gilbert Rozon says rumours of sexual misconduct allegations against him cost the company $30 million in a matter of hours. Rozon says governments froze subsidies and sponsors followed suit in the hours before the allegations were made public in Quebec media in 2017. He says the effects of the allegations caused 'carnage' around him, adding that his sons and several colleagues fell into depression. Rozon stepped down from Just for Laughs after the investigation was published, and the company was eventually sold. The disgraced former comedy mogul testified for the third day at his civil trial, in which he is being sued by nine women for a total of nearly $14 million in damages over alleged sexual abuse. Rozon maintains he had consensual relations with three of the women, and he has denied the other allegations against him. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 25, 2025. The Canadian Press
The Independent
25-06-2025
- The Independent
Andrew Tate's High Court trial over rape and sexual violence claims by four women brought forward
Andrew Tate will face a civil trial at the High Court next summer over claims of rape and sexual violence brought by four women. A judge ruled the trial, which had originally been expected to take place in February 2027, should be brought forward. Four women are suing the former professional kickboxer over allegations of sexual violence, including that he grabbed one by the throat on several occasions in 2015, assaulted her with a belt and pointed a gun at her face. Mr Tate denies any wrongdoing. At a hearing on Wednesday, Mrs Justice Lambert said that she was 'very keen to get on' with the case and that it should be listed sooner, fixing the trial to start on 22 June 2026. It could last up to five weeks, with a further preliminary hearing expected to take place at a later date. She said: 'We just need to make this happen, really. It is not in anyone's interests that this case goes into the long grass of 2027.' Following the short hearing, the four claimants said: 'We welcome the judge's decision to bring our case forward. 'We've already spent years waiting for justice, and so it's of some comfort to hear that Andrew Tate will face these allegations in a court earlier than the original plan of 2027.' A previous hearing in April was told that the case is believed to be a legal first as it will consider whether allegations of coercive control, in a civil context, could amount to intentional infliction of harm. Judge Richard Armstrong said that the claimants were 'seeking damages likely to reach six figures'. The women are bringing a civil case after the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to prosecute. Three of the British accusers were the subject of an investigation by Hertfordshire Constabulary, which was closed in 2019. In court documents, one of the women claimed the high-profile influencer 'would strangle her or grab her by her throat if she spoke back to him or said anything that he did not like… until she told him that she loved him or apologised for whatever he demanded at the time'. She alleged Mr Tate put her in a headlock or whipped her with a belt if she did not get out of bed and do work for his webcam business. The documents also claim Mr Tate, 38, 'had weapons, including firearms, which were often pointed at her' and that he had 'indicated to her that he would like to kill someone if he could'. Mr Tate maintains that her account is 'fabrication' and a 'pack of lies', and has previously described the allegations as 'unproven and untested'. In a statement, a spokesperson for Mr Tate previously said: 'He denies ever threatening anyone with a firearm, engaging in non-consensual acts or subjecting any individual to physical or psychological harm. 'These are civil claims, brought years after the alleged events and following a CPS decision not to pursue criminal charges. 'It is deeply troubling that such graphic and one-sided accounts are being publicised before any judicial assessment has taken place.' The statement added: 'Mr Tate will defend himself vigorously and remains confident the truth will prevail.' Mr Tate and his brother Tristan are also facing prosecution in Romania over allegations of trafficking minors, sexual intercourse with a minor and money laundering.
National Post
06-06-2025
- Business
- National Post
'Convicted, executed the same day... what more do you want?' Just for Laughs founder blasts media at sex assault civil trial
MONTREAL — The founder of Montreal's Just for Laughs festival broke his silence on Thursday about sexual assault allegations, accusing reporters of denying him justice as he emerged from a second day on the stand at a civil trial. Article content Gilbert Rozon, 70, is testifying in his own defence in response to allegations from nine Quebec women who are seeking $14 million in damages over allegations of sexual assault and misconduct in Quebec Superior Court. Article content Article content Article content 'Convicted, executed the same day, and then I lost everything. So what more do you want? It was the business I built with my own hands and my teams for 35 years, all the women who were at the top were kicked out,' the Just for Laughs founder said following his second day on the stand. 'I lost everything, I was ruined. I'm here for justice, not even for myself, it's so that the law remains.' Article content Earlier in the day, the Quebec impresario testified he regretted pleading guilty to a charge involving a 19-year-old female croupier during a 1998 party at the Manoir Rouville-Campbell in Mont-St-Hilaire, Que. Article content Rozon told the court he was under immense pressure to resolve the case, which caused his entertainment company to be 'plunged into a media hellhole' when it was made public. Article content 'We were losing tens of thousands of dollars a day. It quickly reached $2 million,' Rozon told the court. Article content Article content After meeting with family, he said he was encouraged to settle the matter and plead guilty. He eventually received an unconditional discharge on appeal. Article content Article content 'They told me it was better to settle for the good of the company,' Rozon told the court. 'But for a long time I resented those who had ordered me to do that because I felt like I was betraying my convictions, my principles.' Article content All of the women suing Rozon in the civil trial have testified about their experiences and faced cross-examination. Article content 'If I don't defend myself, it will become a form of legalized extortion, and that's what's happening,' Rozon said. 'What do I have to gain here? … Explain it to me, please.' Article content His testimony is expected to continue over several days in the coming weeks. Article content 'A couple of weeks from now they (will) ask me all the questions and you can trust them to push me to the limit, so I'll answer it,' Rozon said. 'You can be sure of that.'
