‘Raging Bully’
De Niro sued for £10million by ex-employee over ‘years of 4-letter abuse’
ROBERT De Niro is being sued for £10million by an ex-employee over claims he subjected her to years of ‘discrimination and harassment’.
Graham Chase Robinson, 37, says the actor unleashed abusive ‘tirades’ and made ‘unwanted physical contact’ during the decade she worked for him.
An expletive-laden voicemail recording was released as part of the case in which the actor, 76, allegedly calls her a ‘spoiled brat’ and – adopting the tone of his famous gangster roles – rages: ‘How dare you disrespect me?’
Miss Robinson also claims the Raging bull star urinated during telephone calls to her and joked about his Viagra prescription.
He allegedly made ‘sexually- charged comments’ to her, said she should use a married co-worker’s sperm to get pregnant, and called her a ‘b****’ and a ‘brat’, it is claimed.
the allegations against De Niro, who stars in Martin Scorsese’s new film the Irishman, were made in the lawsuit filed at Manhattan’s federal court.
It includes seven counts of violation of labour laws, the equal pay act and gender discrimination.
Miss Robinson started working for De Niro in 2008 as an executive assistant at his company Canal Productions.
She had risen to a vice president position – earning $300,000 (£243,000) annually – by April this year, when she claims she was ‘forced to resign’.
Legal papers state: ‘Robert De Niro is someone who has clung to old mores. He does not accept the idea that men should treat women as equals. He does not care that gender discrimination in the workplace violates the law. Ms Robinson is a casualty of this attitude.’
Miss Robinson alleges the actor treated her as his ‘office wife’ and made her do ‘stereotypically female duties, like housework’ while underpaying and refusing to pay overtime.
Among these tasks she was allegedly directed to ‘put away his boxers, hang up his clothes, wash his sheets, vacuum’.
on occasions De Niro would answer the door in his bath robe or pyjamas and, it is claimed, he once told Miss Robinson to ‘imagine him on the toilet’.
the lawsuit claims: ‘De Niro would direct Ms Robinson to scratch his back, button his shirts... and prod him awake when he was in bed. De Niro also stood idly by while his friend slapped Ms Robinson on her buttocks.’
It adds that he would launch ‘tirades against Ms Robinson – often while he was intoxicated’.
Apparently arguing with Miss Robinson in the recording, he says: ‘How dare you? You’re about to be fired. You’re f****** history. How dare you? this is b*******! You want another f****** position, you want another position then say you want another position and go off somewhere but don’t f****** get angry with me because I’m p***** off because I didn’t get a simple thing that I need in California where I am for less than 24 hours.
‘You gotta be f****** kidding me you spoiled brat! F*** you!’
De Niro and Canal Productions sued Miss Robinson for £ 5.3million in August and accused her of stealing money and quitting abruptly.
but she claims that lawsuit was brought in retaliation for her threatening to sue De Niro.
the lawsuit states: ‘De Niro was enraged at the prospect of Ms Robinson bringing a lawsuit challenging his behaviour.’
Last night a spokesman for De Niro was not available for comment.
‘Made her scratch his back’