Actor James Franco Agrees To Pay $2.2 Million To Settle Sexual Misconduct Allegations

James Franco has agreed to pay $ 2.2m (£ 1.6m) to settle a legal case accusing him of sexual misconduct.

Sarah Tither-Kaplan and Toni Gaal, who were studying at the now-defunct Studio 4 acting school of James Franco sued him in Los Angeles in October 2019.

Accusations Against The Actor

They accused that James Franco indulged un “sexual misconduct against female students”.

Franco’s lawyers had previously described the allegations as untrue and inflammatory.

The class action lawsuit – a formal lawsuit that is filed by more than one person against the defendant – also alleges that the actor misused his position.

In this case, the female students claim to have been the victims of fraud by paying for a acting school while they were being harassed sexually inside.

The Settlement

In February it was reported that Franco and the plaintiffs had reached an agreement. The specific details were released only on Wednesday.

The legal documents linked to the case pen down the entire proposed agreement and it will now be presented to a judge who will decide whether to pass it.

If signed, Ms Tither-Kaplan will receive $ 670,500 (£ 486,107). $ 223,500 (£ 162,036) will be subtracted as the charges of attorneys involved.

The agreement also applies to Franco’s production company, Rabbit Bandini, and to his business partners, Vince Jolivette and Jay Davis.

What Happens Next?

Once the judge signs the agreement, all the involved parties in the dispute will have to mandatorily issue a joint statement in which Franco will continue to deny the allegations against him.

It could read: “The parties and their attorneys are pleased that they have resolved certain parts of the dispute and pending cases.

“While the defendants continue to deny the allegations in this case, they acknowledge that the plaintiffs have raised important issues; and all parties firmly believe that now is the critical time to focus on addressing the abuse of women in Hollywood.

“All agree on the need to make sure that no-one in the entertainment industry – regardless of sex, race, religion, disability, ethnicity, background, gender or sexual orientation – faces discrimination, harassment or prejudice of any kind.”