Cyber Crime
Housemaid Awarded Rs 23 Crore in Damages After Wealthy Employer Caught Secretly Filming Her in Bedroom
A New York court has ordered Michael Esposito, a millionaire from Staten Island and the owner of three LaRosa Grill franchises, to pay $2.78 million in damages to Kelly Andrade, a Colombian immigrant who worked as a live-in nanny for his family.
Andrade made the disturbing discovery of a hidden camera concealed within the smoke detector of her bedroom, which had secretly recorded her for weeks. The jury’s financial compensation was awarded to address Andrade’s emotional distress and to impose punitive damages on Esposito. However, Andrade expressed disappointment, stating that the compensation was insufficient to account for the trauma she had endured.
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Originally from Colombia, Andrade moved to the U.S. in 2021 after being placed with the Esposito family through the Cultural Care Au Pair agency. She was hired to care for the four children of Esposito and his wife, Danielle, while staying with Danielle’s parents in Staten Island as the family’s mansion underwent renovations.
Initially optimistic about her new position, Andrade soon grew wary of Esposito’s actions. She observed that he would frequently enter her room under the pretense of adjusting the smoke detector, often appearing nervous and uneasy.
Just three weeks into her employment, Andrade decided to inspect the smoke detector herself. To her shock, she discovered a hidden camera inside. The device’s memory card contained hundreds of recordings, many of which captured her in private moments, such as while undressing. Devastated, Andrade quickly realized that Esposito had been secretly recording her without her consent.
Her distress escalated when Esposito returned to the house shortly after her discovery. Fearing for her safety, Andrade pretended to be asleep as Esposito knocked on her bedroom door. Overcome with fear, she made a daring escape by jumping out of her first-floor window, injuring her knees in the process.