What did James Toback do? Allegations explored as director is labelled a 'serial predator' in new lawsuit 

American film director James Toback has been labeled as an alleged “serial predator” in a new joint lawsuit filed in a New York state court on Monday, December 5, by nearly 38 women over misconduct allegations.

As per the documents obtained by Page Six, the women have accused Toback of using his “reputation, power and influence in the entertainment industry” to "lure young women through fraud, coercion, force and intimidation” into compromising situations."

He has also been accused of falsely imprisoning, abusing, assaulting and battering the victims on different occasions. The new lawsuit comes nearly five years after the majority of the women accused Toback of wrongdoing for the first time through The Los Angeles Times interviews during the peak of the #MeToo movement.

Toback has reportedly been accused of assault and harassment by more than 300 women in his lifetime. However, the director continued to deny all claims in the past.

Trigger warning: This article mentions instances of s*xual abuse. Reader discretion is advised.

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A look into the multiple allegations against director James Toback

Victims have claimed James Toback used his "power and influence" to abuse them for nearly four decades(Image via Getty Images)

On Monday, a new lawsuit over misconduct allegations was filed against director James Toback by more than three dozen women. The victims have accused the filmmaker of abusing and assaulting them for nearly four decades by using his “power and influence” in Hollywood.

The women alleged that despite being abused for 38 years, they could not speak against Toback earlier due to the terrifying threats of blacklisting them in the industry, causing physical harm, and/or even killing them if they failed to remain silent about the abuse they endured over the years.

Several victims also claimed that The Gambler creator attempted to scare them by saying that he had connections with the mob and that he "had killed people before."

The women alleged that James Toback often made them “act provocatively” and forced them to perform inappropriate acts on him to “see if they were right for the alleged ‘role,’” most of which were nonexistent.

As per the claims, Toback allegedly used repeated plots and tricks to target his potential victims. The lawsuit further stated:

“Defendant Toback targeted young women using the same ruse over and over again with hundreds of victims, often using the same lines, enablers, and locations where he was able to perpetrate his abuse upon unsuspecting young women, including Plaintiffs, for decades.”

The suit also alleged that the director went around the streets of Manhattan to approach young women and offered them potential movie roles to lure them as part of his routine.

Similar claims against James Toback were made by five women in 2018. At the time, one woman alleged that the filmmaker “hunted” them on the streets of New York City and “conned” them with the “promise of auditions at the Harvard Club.”

The women claimed that the director used the club’s name “as bait to prey on young women” and “exploited the dreams and vulnerabilities of hundreds of young women.”

Bradley Beckworth, an attorney for the victims, told Insider that he knows several other women who were not involved in the suit but have been allegedly abused in their lifetime:

“I think that as people read this and learn more about what happened, our hope is that women will find out that they weren't alone. When abuse like this happens, it can be very isolating, depressing, scary, and a lot of things go with that.”

The women have also sued the Harvard Club of New York City for allegedly allowing and being involved in Toback’s abuse. The legal documents claim:

“Toback repeatedly used his membership and affiliation with the Harvard Club of New York City to facilitate and carry out his abuse, luring his victims to the Harvard Club for meals and drinks, and attacking them in the Harvard Club’s dining room, stairwells, bathrooms, and hotel rooms.”

The suit claims that James Toback was allegedly “allowed unfettered access in and around the Harvard Club” and that the club did not take any action despite several women mentioning the former as a “Pick-up Artist” director.

A spokesperson for the Harvard Club told Page Six that Toback’s membership had been terminated back in 2017.

“Beyond that, the Harvard Club does not comment on pending litigation.”

The publication also reported that the director also allegedly abused his victims at other locations across New York City, including his mother’s house.

Page Six noted that the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office did not prosecute James Toback in 2018 due to the statute of limitations.

However, the new lawsuit came after the passing of the Adult Survivor’s Act in New York State which allows for victims of s*xual abuse to take action against their perpetrator regardless of the time period of the alleged crime.