Restaurant Mogul Must Pay $2.78 Million to ‘Petrified’ Nanny After Jury’s Decision
A New York jury awarded over $2 million to Kelly Andrade, a 25-year-old au pair, after she discovered she was secretly filmed by her employer, Michael Esposito, a millionaire restaurateur. Andrade, originally from Colombia, found a hidden camera inside the smoke detector in her room while working for the Esposito family, who were temporarily living with relatives. After discovering the recordings that showed her in compromising situations, Andrade felt threatened when Esposito attempted to break into her room, prompting her to escape out of a window and hide for the night. Esposito was arrested for unlawful surveillance, but his felony charge was reduced to a misdemeanor, resulting in only probation. In contrast, Andrade successfully pursued a civil lawsuit against him and his wife, receiving $780,000 for emotional damages and an additional $2 million in punitive damages. She also filed a separate suit against her employer, Cultural Care Au Pair, for an undisclosed amount. Andrade urged those in similar situations to stand up against abuse and exploitation.
A victimized nanny has been awarded over $2 million by a jury after the disturbing actions of her restaurant-mogul boss.
The jury awarded the sum after hearing how 25-year-old au pair Kelly Andrade was secretly recorded by Michael Esposito, a 35-year-old millionaire who owns multiple LaRosa Chicken & Grill locations.
Andrade, a Colombia native, was employed through Cultural Care Au Pair and in 2021 was placed with the restaurateur and his wife, Danielle Esposito.
The Esposito family was living at Michael’s in-laws’ house while their own was being renovated when Andrade joined them. The nanny soon noticed strange behavior.
According to the New York Post, soon after taking on the job of caring for the couple’s four children, Andrade said she kept stumbling upon the Esposito patriarch in the room she was given.
Oddly, she said, he kept fiddling with the smoke detector, which was “constantly” being moved to different places around the room.
After weeks of this, the nanny took a closer look at the safety device and made a disturbing discovery.
Inside the smoke detector shell, Andrade found a camera and a memory card. Saved on the device were “hundreds” of recordings showing her in various states of undress. While still processing the discovery, the situation took a dark turn for Andrade.
Esposito appeared at the house only minutes after she opened the smoke detector, with the nanny saying he “seemed very nervous and he seemed very worried” after arriving. Andrade said he then began “banging on the door.”
According to Andrade, Esposito was attempting to break into her room.
Fearing he might have a gun, Andrade jumped out of a window, the U.K.’s Daily Mail reported.
She hid in some bushes, and ended up spending the night there. She said the entire situation left her “petrified.”
NYC jury awards $2.78M to au pair who was secretly filmed by creepy chicken mogul https://t.co/zm7Mc2QJ7O pic.twitter.com/z5qBOQiXfC
— New York Post (@nypost) September 22, 2024
Esposito was arrested on a felony charge of unlawful surveillance on March 24, 2021, after Andrade reported her discovery to police.
In April 2022, after a year of counseling, Esposito was allowed to withdraw his felony plea and his felony charge was reduced to a misdemeanor of attempted unlawful surveillance. Instead of the four-year prison sentence he faced before, the misdemeanor only carried a two-year probation sentence.
Andrade was furious the rich restaurateur was given a “slap on the wrist” by prosecutors.
While Esposito will avoid prison time for the surveillance, he was not able to similarly dodge a civil suit brought by Andrade.
A jury weighed in favor of Andrade, awarding her $780,000 in emotional damages from Michael Esposito and his wife. In addition, Michael Esposito was slapped with $2 million in punitive damages.
Andrade also won a suit against her former employer, Cultural Care Au Pair, for an undisclosed amount.
Andrade encouraged others in her situation to step up against those abusing and taking advantage of them.
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