Amy Moore, et al. v. Howard Rubin

Brooklyn, New York, personal injury lawyers represented the Plaintiff who sued the Defendant on Racketeering (RICO) Act violation theories.



Howard Rubin, a successful bond trader, recruited women from around the country to travel to New York and engage in sadomasochism with him in exchange for money. Rubin employed assistants, whom he paid up to $15,000 per month, to lure women with promises of cash, fancy dinners, and first-class airline tickets to travel to his New York penthouse for sexual activity. Although some of the women knew that they might have rough sex, including getting spanked or slapped during the encounters, they were not aware that Rubin would -- against their will -- beat them, gag them, verbally degrade them, insert objects inside them, assault them in public, and shock them with electrical instruments.



Together, six plaintiffs1 brought a civil action against Rubin and his agents, asserting claims under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (the "TVPA") and state tort claims for assault, battery, false imprisonment, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.



See: Amy Moore, et al. v. Howard Rubin

A jury found Rubin liable under the TVPA and awarded $500,000 in compensatory damages to each plaintiff. The jury also awarded $120,000 in punitive damages to five of the plaintiffs and $250,000 to one of them. Rubin appeals, arguing that there was insufficient evidence to support plaintiffs' claims under the TVPA, the court delivered erroneous jury instructions, and the TVPA does not authorize punitive damages.



Affirmed