According to recent court documents, Robert de Niro claims his ex-assistant exploited his frequent flyer miles worth $300,000 and transferred over 4.5 million miles to her personal account.
De Niro, 78, is suing Graham Chase Robinson for $6 million, alleging that while working for his business Canal Productions, she helped herself to a four-year spending spree.
In her own legal action, Robinson claims de Niro assaulted her verbally, made ‘sexually charged comments,’ and made unwanted physical contact with her. She is now seeking $12 million in damages.
Recent court documents obtained by RadarOnline include a letter from de Niro’s lawyer to his former employee in 2019, who moved from personal assistant to Vice President of Production and Finance. The letter states “I was asked to respond to your recent emails addressed to Bob. Please note that Bob does not wish to communicate with you. As such, please direct correspondence regarding this matter to me.”
Further accusations alleged that Robinson used the American Express business card to purchase food, Uber rides, dog–sitting, groceries, cameras, iPhones, Pilates lessons, dry cleaning, and flowers, in addition to“helping herself“ to petty cash.
Over a two-year period, the former employee was accused of converting over 7 million Delta SkyMiles, spending three million for personal travel and transferring the other 4.5 million to a personal account.
During her stay at the Montage Hotel in Los Angeles, Robinson also allegedly charged $2,600, as well as $156 for dinner at Nobu, $604 for a second meal at the restaurant, $729 for a rental car, and several hundred dollars more on cabs, despite having a rental car of her own.
Robinson has continued to deny using the cards and has called into question whether all of the purchases were made by her.
She believes that de Niro only filed his complaint to preempt hers, according to her own lawsuit accusing him of gender discrimination.
“De Niro was enraged at the prospect of Ms. Robinson bringing a lawsuit challenging his behavior. So, he retaliated and struck first,” the complaint says.
She said in court docs that the actor made her work in a toxic environment where he called her a “b****” and spoke to her in a “hostile, abusive, and intimidating manner.”
The lawsuit was previously described by the actor as ‘completely absurd.’
However, in a 2012 voicemail, De Niro can be heard yelling at Robinson calling her a “‘spoiled brat,’ saying ‘how dare you f***ing disrespect me,’ and threatening her, saying ‘you’re f***ing history.”
She alleges that such behavior was not uncommon for the legendary actor, who is accused of abusing his workers on several instances. Her lawyer Alexandra Harwin told Fox Business in January 2020, “It was a routine occurrence for Mr. De Niro to call Ms. Robinson names, berate her, and curse at her when he was inebriated.”
Robinson was also allegedly required “to do things that her male colleagues were never asked to do, like scratch Mr. De Niro’s back, button his buttons, tie his ties,” Harwin stated.
The lawsuit also stated that she was told to visualize him on the toilet when he was in bed.
Both lawsuits are still pending.
