Guess? Founder & California Governor Candidate Georges Marciano ordered by LA court to pay $370 million in damages to former employees

Yesterday, in one of the largest defamation verdicts ever handed down in Los Angeles County, a jury in LA Superior Court found Georges Marciano, co-founder of Guess? Inc. and 2010 candidate for governor of California, liable for defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Five former Marciano employees were awarded a total $370 million dollars - 74 million dollars to each victim. End Quote

Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (1888PressRelease) July 29, 2009 - Attorneys, including Michael Partos and Reeve Segal of Cozen O’Connor, proved to the jury that Marciano falsely accused his former employees of embezzling over $400 million dollars. Marciano’s defamatory actions included posting false accusations about his former employees on his website and sending letters to the powerful entities such as the IRS and FBI claiming that his employees had stolen from him.

“We are extremely satisfied with the verdict. It’s been a long time coming for our client,” explained Michael Partos of Cozen O’Connor, who represented one of the five former employees suing Marciano. “I’m glad we could finally clear our client’s name.” Cozen O’Connor’s young attorney Reeve Segal’s closing arguments were compelling enough to get their client $69 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages. “Justice has finally been served.” Segal proclaimed.

Partos and Segal proved that Marciano had their client and his parents followed by an investigator and that Marciano had slandered their client on numerous websites. Under cross-examination Marciano admitted that he was on a "crusade" against his former employees and that he would not stop until the day he dies. Partos and Segal convinced the jury that, due to Marciano, their client needs security for the rest of his life, and that his reputation and career were ruined by Marciano.

After two days of deliberations the jury found in favor of the former employees and awarded each of the five employees $69 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages for defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Guess? Inc. is one of the world's most successful apparel and accessory companies. Marciano founded it in 1981, but he left in 1993 after a dispute with his business partner brothers. Attorneys Cheryl Deptowicz-Diaz of the Diaz Law Firm, and Alain V. Bonavida of the law offices of Alain v. Bonavida were among the attorneys who were also able to bring 74 million dollars to their respective clients in their pursuit against Marciano for justice.

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