Lawyers for Ms. Robinson argued that Ms. Chen’s direction was retaliation fueled by gender discrimination, citing text messages from Ms. Chen to Mr. De Niro accusing Ms. Robinson of imagining a “fantasy relationship” with her boss. (Ms. Robinson said she never had any romantic interest in Mr. De Niro.)
“She thought she was your wife,” Ms. Chen texted Mr. De Niro in 2019 after Ms. Robinson informed her former employer that she would be seeking legal representation unless the company resolved her request for severance pay, recommendation letters and other items. “I saw it from the beginning.”
“The balls, the nerve, the chutzpah,” Mr. De Niro responded. “The sense of entitlement. How dare her.”
Lawyers for Mr. De Niro, 80, portrayed Ms. Robinson, 41, as someone who exploited the trust and generosity of her boss, who had already given her significant perks and gifts — including a Rolex watch and part of a vacation in Hawaii — while also agreeing to pay her a salary of $300,000 per year in 2019, far more than other Canal office workers were paid. They argued that even though she received title changes, per her own request, her job responsibilities remained that of a personal assistant throughout her 11-year employment, and they repeatedly underscored the fact that she had not made any formal complaint over gender discrimination until she had been accused of financial improprieties.
After Ms. Robinson’s resignation, remaining Canal employees scrutinized her spending on a company Amex card; the company ultimately alleged in its lawsuit that in the final two years or so of her employment, Ms. Robinson improperly spent more than $12,600 of the company’s money at an Italian restaurant near her home on the Upper East Side, about $32,000 on car services and nearly $9,000 on personal food items. The company also objected to her charging it for 62 vacation days that she claimed were unused over about three years.
Several current and former employees at Canal Productions testified that there were no written policies around expenses, with Mr. De Niro testifying that his policies included “common sense” and the “honor system.”
Lawyers representing Ms. Robinson claimed that Ms. Chen’s actions were a form of retaliation based on gender discrimination. They presented text messages from Ms. Chen to Mr. De Niro, where she accused Ms. Robinson of having a “fantasy relationship” with her boss. (Ms. Robinson denied having any romantic interest in Mr. De Niro.)
In 2019, after Ms. Robinson informed her former employer about seeking legal representation unless her requests for severance pay, recommendation letters, and other items were resolved, Ms. Chen texted Mr. De Niro saying, “She thought she was your wife. I saw it from the beginning.”
Mr. De Niro responded, saying, “The balls, the nerve, the chutzpah. The sense of entitlement. How dare her.”
Lawyers representing Mr. De Niro, aged 80, portrayed Ms. Robinson, 41, as someone who took advantage of her boss’s trust and generosity. They highlighted the perks and gifts she had already received, such as a Rolex watch and part of a vacation in Hawaii. They also emphasized that she was paid a salary of $300,000 per year in 2019, which was significantly higher than what other Canal office workers earned. They argued that despite receiving changes in job title, as per her own request, her job responsibilities remained that of a personal assistant throughout her 11-year tenure. They also pointed out that she only raised allegations of gender discrimination after being accused of financial improprieties.
After Ms. Robinson resigned, remaining employees at Canal Productions examined her expenses on a company Amex card. The company eventually filed a lawsuit claiming that in the final two years of her employment, she improperly spent over $12,600 at an Italian restaurant near her home on the Upper East Side, around $32,000 on car services, and nearly $9,000 on personal food items. The company also objected to her charging them for 62 vacation days that she claimed were unused over a span of three years.
Several current and former employees at Canal Productions testified that there were no written policies regarding expenses. Mr. De Niro testified that his policies relied on “common sense” and the “honor system.”