CEO accused of choking man and threatening to kill him on cruise ...
The CEO of a California-based financial services company is facing a federal assault charge for allegedly choking a man on a Virgin Voyages cruise ship. The incident took place on the Resilient Lady cruise ship in international waters, as reported in a federal criminal complaint.
According to authorities, Kenneth DeGiorgio, the CEO of First American Financial Corp., was involved in an altercation with a male individual following an incident with his wife, Nichol DeGiorgio. DeGiorgio's legal team stated that he was intervening to protect his wife from harassment, which made her feel threatened and intimidated.
The complaint states that the victim, identified as M.A., was dancing barefoot at the On The Rocks bar on the ship when DeGiorgio's wife requested him to put on his shoes. The situation escalated when the victim responded disrespectfully, prompting DeGiorgio to approach and choke him, as captured on security footage.
During the altercation, the victim reported feeling significant force around his throat, with DeGiorgio allegedly threatening to kill him. Following the incident, DeGiorgio was confined to his room until the ship docked in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where authorities took action.
DeGiorgio's wife clarified that the victim never touched her and expressed regret over the dispute. DeGiorgio, who has been the company's CEO since February 2022, is eager to prove his innocence, as stated by his legal representation.
For more details, you can refer to the original article on NBCNews.com.
