A Manhattan jury has awarded $2.78 million to Kelly Andrade, a Colombian au pair who was secretly videotaped by Michael Esposito, a Staten Island dad and fast-food chicken mogul. Esposito recorded nude videos of Andrade and attempted to break down her door after she discovered a hidden camera in her bedroom. Despite facing a felony charge of unlawful surveillance, Esposito was let off with probation and counseling, a decision that left Andrade feeling like he only received a “slap on the wrist” from prosecutors. Andrade expressed her outrage at the minimal consequences faced by her abuser and the irreversible damage he caused her.
Andrade had undergone extensive training before being placed in the US by Cultural Care Au Pair with the Esposito family. She claimed to have caught Esposito tampering with the smoke detector in her room, which led her to discover a hidden camera inside. The memory card of the camera contained numerous recordings of Andrade, many of which captured her nude or dressing/undressing. After finding the device, Andrade tried to pretend she was sleeping to get Esposito to leave, but he aggressively tried to enter her room, prompting her to jump out of a first-floor window, injuring her knee in the process.
Following the incident, Andrade reported Esposito to the authorities, leading to his arrest on a charge of unlawful surveillance. However, he only received probation and counseling as punishment. Andrade and her attorney, Zachary Holzberg, were disappointed that Esposito did not face harsher consequences for his actions, especially considering the trauma Andrade experienced. They argued that Esposito received a mere slap on the wrist while Andrade faced lasting emotional distress and physical injury.
During a four-day civil trial, Andrade testified for three days while Esposito chose not to take the stand. The jury ultimately awarded Andrade $780,000 in emotional distress damages against both Michael and Danielle Esposito, as well as $2 million in punitive damages against Michael. Andrade expressed that speaking out and seeking justice has been crucial for her recovery and hopes to encourage other au pairs and immigrants who have been victims of abuse to come forward and report their abusers.
Andrade, who now lives in New Jersey with her husband, settled her lawsuit with Cultural Care Au Pair for an undisclosed amount. She emphasized the importance of speaking out against abuse and not being afraid to report aggressors. The case highlighted the vulnerability of au pairs and immigrants who may face abuse in their host families, as well as the challenges of seeking justice and holding perpetrators accountable for their actions. Andrade’s courage in speaking out and seeking justice serves as a reminder of the importance of supporting survivors of abuse and advocating for stronger protections for vulnerable populations.
