A judge has granted a $2.5 million default judgment to a former production company CEO who alleged she was wrongfully fired in 2019 for protesting the hiring of a man with an alleged background of sexual harassment who also was given her job after her termination.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mel Red Recana’s ruling on Monday grants plaintiff Yenniry “Jenny” Alonzo $2 million in out-of-pocket damages and another $500,000 for her pain and suffering as well as compensation for attorneys’ fees.
Alonzo sued NYLA Media Group LLC and her former supervisor, company Board Chairman Louis Arriola, in June 2022, alleging she was subjected to discrimination and retaliation due to her gender. She also maintained she lost her job for opposing the allegedly hostile workplace environment.
Alonzo was hired as NYLA’s CEO in or around October 2018. NYLA was formed as a company with a female-empowering perspective that would produce projects showcasing authentic stories about Latinx and Black culture and about women through the power of storytelling in media, the suit stated.
But in 2019, Arriola said he was hiring Cameron Mitchell as a consultant, according to the suit, which further states that Mitchell was fired from Creative Artists Agency two years earlier after a young and aspiring actress accused him of sexually assaulting her.
“Mitchell had a reputation among those who knew him of using his position at CAA to engage in sexual relations with young women,” according to the complaint.
After Alonzo complained to Arriola about Mitchell being later placed in a leadership position and also cited the #metoo movement, her boss responded by saying, “I don’t give a (epithet) about that, (epithet) the #metoo movement,” according to the complaint.
In July 2019, Arriola fired Alonzo, telling a NYLA staff member that the plaintiff was let go because she was “in everybody’s business,” according to the suit, which further states that Mitchell was subsequently named NYLA’s acting CEO.