Robert De Niro Accused of Inappropriate Workplace Conduct by Former Employee

Actor Robert De Niro is being sued by a former employee who claims  that the Hollywood star engaged in gender discrimination, harassment, and workplace retaliation. She is also alleging that The Irishman actor made unwanted physical contact and was verbally abusive to her.

Graham Chase Robinson, who filed the lawsuit in a New York federal court, worked for De Niro’s Canal Productions as vice president of production and finance. De Niro sued her in August for $6 million, alleging that she misused corporate credit cards and engaged in Netflix bingewatching while on the job.

Robinson is now firing back, seeking at least $12 million in damages. In the complaint, she alleges that De Niro engaged in vulgar rants against her and at least one other female business partner. She claims De Niro called her a “bitch” and a “brat” while calling another woman a “cunt.”

“Ms. Robinson’s position became increasingly intolerable, and over the years she announced her intent to resign multiple times,” the complaint says. “De Niro responded with both a carrot and a stick – he made promises to induce to her stay and threatened repercussions if she left.”

Robinson claims that De Niro’s initial lawsuit contains falsehoods and mischaracterizations.

“The results have been devasting to Ms. Robinson. Her reputation and her career have been destroyed,” the suit states.

Robinson claims that De Niro made unwanted physical contact when he would direct her to scratch his back, button his shirts, fix his collars, tie his ties, and prod him awake when he was in bed.

“De Niro also stood idly by while his friend slapped Ms. Robinson on her buttocks,” the complaint says.

Robinson slams the actor for clinging to outdated views of gender in the workplace: “He does not accept the idea that men should treat women as equals.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.”

De Niro has spent the last few weeks promoting Netflix’s The Irishman, which opens in select theaters Nov. 1 before becoming available to stream later that month.

During the press tour, the actor has repeatedly ranted against President Donald Trump. “He has no morals. No ethics. If people don’t wake up and he gets reelected, it’s going to be very, very bad,” the actor told Variety.