Robert De Niro arrives at court to testify against his former assistant who accused him of gender discrimination and bullying

• De Niro’s former longtime assistant countersued the actor after his company sued her for stealing from the company, among other things, in 2019
• The civil trial involves both suits and is expected to last two weeks in Manhattan 

Robert De Niro has arrived at Manhattan federal court to testify in a bombshell trial against his former assistant who has accused him of a number of offenses ranging from gender discrimination to sexual harassment.

The 80-year-old actor is expected to take the stand on the first day of the civil trial against his former longtime assistant, Graham Chase Robinson.

The legal battle between the star and his former employee exploded in 2019, when De Niro’s production company sued Robinson for allegedly stealing from the company, watching hours of Netflix on the job, and robbing De Niro personally of millions of his frequent flyer miles.

Robert De Niro arrived at Manhattan federal court on Monday to testify in a civil gender discrimination trial brought by his former assistant

The 80-year-old actor looked comfortable in a baggy polo and blazer, as well as black pants and sneakers

Robinson then dropped a $12million gender discrimination countersuit that accused De Niro of subjecting her to sexual harassment and other bad behavior during their decade-long working relationship. 

De Niro arrived in court Monday in a grey mask, matched to his grey polo shirt. He also sported a navy blazer that appeared to drape off him somewhat loosely, black pants and black sneakers.

He carried with him what looked like a baseball cap and laptop case.

In Robinson’s suit, she accuses De Niro of forcing her to assume the role of his ‘office wife.’

The assistant began working for the actor and his production company, Canal Productions, in 2008.

After De Niro’s suit was filed against her in August of 2019, she accused him of assigning her ‘stereotypically female job duties that were inconsistent with her job title.’

Robinson claimed the actor made her put away his boxers, wash his sheets, and set his table.

The suit also alleges that ‘De Niro would direct Ms. Robinson to scratch his back, button his shirts and prod him awake when he was in bed.’

Furthermore, states the filing, ‘De Niro also stood idly by while his friend slapped Ms. Robinson on her buttocks.’

The former production company employee says that De Niro would also ‘urinate during telephone calls’ and greet her wearing only his ‘pajamas or a bathrobe.’ 

Graham Chase Robinson worked for De Niro from 2008 until 2019 when she says she was forced to resign. De Niro’s production company then filed suit against her

The civil trial, which begins Monday and is expected to last two weeks, involves both suits.

The process will involve each side presenting their case over the course of a respectively allotted 20-hour period. On Monday, the trial commenced with jury selection and opening statements.

Robinson’s legal team will reportedly introduce more than a dozen voicemails and a number of text exchanges between De Niro and Robinson, as well as De Niro and his girlfriend, Tiffany Chen.

In a 51-second voicemail recording that Robinson once received, the Hollywood legend threatens her in an expletive-laden rant.

‘You f***ing don’t answer my calls. How dare you? You’re about to be fired. You’re f***ing history. This is bulls***. How dare you f***ing disrespect me? You gotta be f***ing kidding me, you spoiled brat! F*** you!

Brent Hannafan, one of the attorneys representing the scorned assistant said ahead of the trial: ‘Ms. Robinson is ready to tell her story to the jury.’

‘Her discrimination and retaliation claims are compelling and the evidence supporting them is clear. We believe when all the testimony has been heard, the jury will agree with us that De Niro discriminated and retaliated against Ms. Robinson.’

Robinson claims that she began working for the actor and businessman’s company as an executive assistant in 2008 – when she was 25 – ultimately rising to the position of vice president of production and finance before being ‘forced to resign’ in 2019.

De Niro’s legal team allege that Robinson misused a company Amex to treat herself to lavish vacations, hang bags, dinners, and gadgets

The trial, which involves both De Niro’s original suit and Robinson’s countersuit, is expected to last two weeks

For his part, De Niro has claimed that Robinson suddenly exited her position – for which she was compensated $300,000 annually – when ‘suspicions arose’ pertaining to her ‘honesty, integrity, work ethic and motivation.’

De Niro’s legal team allege that Robinson misused a company Amex to treat herself to lavish vacations, hang bags, dinners, and gadgets.

The suit further accuses the entertainment executive of ‘loaf[ing] during work hours’ and ‘binge-watching astounding hours of TV shows on Netflix.’ 

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