Scandal, Verdict and Vanishing Act: Paul Haggis Found Liable in Rape Trial, Then Disappears to Italy

Hollywood is no stranger to scandal, but few stories have landed as hard as the downfall of Oscar-winning filmmaker Paul Haggis. In a dramatic legal battle, Haggis was found liable in a civil rape case and ordered to pay 10 million dollars in damages. Not long after, he left the country.

The verdict came in November 2022, when a Manhattan jury ruled in favor of former publicist Haleigh Breest. She accused Haggis of raping her after a film premiere afterparty in 2013. According to her testimony, Haggis invited her to his SoHo apartment, where she says he forced himself on her.

While the case focused on this single incident, several other women also testified that Haggis had behaved similarly in the past. Their allegations were not part of the lawsuit itself, but the judge allowed them to be presented as “pattern evidence” to help the jury evaluate intent and credibility.

Haggis denied all the allegations. He said the encounter was consensual and claimed that the lawsuit was an effort to destroy his reputation. Actress Leah Remini, a longtime friend and outspoken critic of Scientology, testified in his defense. She described the case as suspicious and suggested it might be part of a targeted campaign.

The jury did not agree. They awarded Breest 7.5 million dollars in compensatory damages and later added another 2.5 million in punitive damages. Although Haggis initially said he would appeal the decision, he later dropped the effort. The judgment became final.

Since then, Haggis has largely disappeared from public life. Reports say he is now living in Italy, raising speculation that he may be trying to avoid enforcement of the court’s ruling. In court, he claimed the legal fight had nearly bankrupted him, citing millions spent on lawyers and legal fees.

Once considered a Hollywood powerhouse, Haggis has seen his career collapse in the wake of the allegations. The case has become another high-profile chapter in the #MeToo era, where power and fame offer no guarantee of protection from serious consequences.