Additional Coverage:
- CEO accused of choking man and threatening to kill him on cruise ship over barefoot dancing incident (nbcnews.com)
Cruise Ship CEO Accused of Choking Fellow Passenger
A California CEO is facing federal assault charges after allegedly choking a man on a Virgin Voyages cruise ship. The incident occurred early Monday aboard the Resilient Lady while sailing in international waters.
Kenneth DeGiorgio, CEO of First American Financial Corp., is accused of choking a male passenger following an interaction between the passenger and DeGiorgio’s wife, Nichol DeGiorgio.
According to the criminal complaint, the incident began on the dance floor of the ship’s On The Rocks bar. The victim, identified as M.A., was dancing barefoot when Mrs.
DeGiorgio reportedly asked him to put on his shoes. The complaint alleges that M.A. responded with an obscene gesture and curse words.
Security footage appears to show DeGiorgio then approaching M.A. and choking him. The victim stated that DeGiorgio used excessive force and threatened his life.
DeGiorgio’s legal team maintains that he was acting in defense of his wife, stating that he “responded to the actions of an individual who harassed his wife, making her feel threatened and intimidated.” However, Mrs. DeGiorgio reportedly told authorities that the victim did not touch her and admitted she regretted asking him to put on shoes.
Upon the ship’s arrival in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Tuesday, authorities met the vessel and addressed the situation. DeGiorgio was confined to his cabin for the remainder of the voyage. DeGiorgio’s legal team asserts that he looks forward to clearing his name.