American nanny got $2.8 million in damages, this was the reason

Michael Esposito, a businessman from Staten Island who owns three LaRosa Grill restaurants, was ordered by a New York court to provide $2.78 million to Kelly Andrade, a Colombian immigrant who was his family’s live-in nanny. Andrade found a covert camera that had been discreetly filming her for weeks inside the smoke detector in her bedroom. Even though the jury awarded Andrade money to ease her emotional suffering and assessed Esposito punitive damages, Andrade was not satisfied with the punishment, claiming it was insufficient given the anguish she had experienced.

Andrade left Colombia for the United States in 2021 after the Cultural Care Au Pair organization paired him with the Esposito family. While the Espositos’ house was being renovated, she was recruited to look after the four children of Esposito and his wife Danielle while they were living in Tottenville, Staten Island, with Danielle’s parents. Andrade had great expectations when she started her employment, but she soon became wary of her employer’s actions.

Esposito, 35, was often seen by her to adjust the smoke detector in her apartment. “When he arrived at the house, he seemed very nervous and worried,” Andrade subsequently described to Yahoo News the events that preceded her discovery. The smoke detector “was constantly being repositioned” by Esposito, according to Andrade’s claim.

After inspecting the gadget less than three weeks after her employment, Andrade discovered a little concealed camera within, which was alarming. According to the complaint, the memory card had “hundreds of recordings,” many of which featured her “nude and/or dressing/undressing.” Andrade realized right away, to her horror, that Esposito had been filming her without permission.

When Andrade realized what had occurred, he was terrified. Soon after she discovered it, Esposito showed up to the home, and his actions made her even more alarmed. He started “banging on the door” of her room as she feigned to be sleeping, frightened that he may be armed, according to The New York Post. This scary circumstance led Andrade to make the decision to leave. She hurt her knees as she sprang out of her first-floor window.

During the trial, Andrade recollected, “I need to get away,” justifying her choice to flee. She hid under a bush on the street for the remainder of the night. After Andrade gave the authorities access to the video the next day, on March 24, 2021, Esposito was taken into custody. Unlawful surveillance was one of the felonies that might have resulted in a four-year jail sentence.

Esposito’s legal situation took an unexpected turn even after his detention. He was permitted to accept a plea agreement in April 2022 that entailed a year of therapy. Esposito’s felony conviction was reduced to attempted illegal surveillance, a misdemeanor, once he successfully completed this program. Andrade and her legal team were indignant that Esposito was only ordered to spend two years of probation as part of the final sentence.

Andrade said, “It’s not enough for the whole situation I’ve been through these three years,” in response to the judgment. It is insufficient. “Despite him doing this, he got to go home to his wife and children in their mansion, and she’s sleeping on the street,” said her lawyer, Zachary Holzberg, in criticism of the leniency.

Andrade testified on her anxiety and trauma for three days during the four-day civil trial in Brooklyn Federal Court. But Esposito did not get up to justify what he had done. In the end, the jury awarded Andrade $2 million in punitive damages against Esposito in addition to $780,000 in mental anguish damages.

Andrade was somewhat relieved by the decision, but she was still not satisfied with how things turned out in the end. “It wasn’t easy for me to be on trial,” she said, looking back on her experience. For me, it was a really trying period. It reminds me of things I’m trying to let go of.

Andrade, who has been married for two years, has decided to come out in the hopes of inspiring other abused women—especially au pairs and immigrants—to expose their abusers. They now reside in New Jersey. “I want to support a lot of au pairs as well as immigrants who have experienced violence. Don’t remain silent. Andrade told The New York Post, “Don’t be afraid to report your aggressor.”

Andrade resolved a lawsuit with Cultural Care Au Pair, the organization that had paired her with the Espositos, in addition to her court win against Esposito. This settlement’s terms are still unknown.

Even if the case was successful, Andrade is still committed to her recuperation and future plans. She continues to believe that Esposito’s legal penalty was inadequate given the devastation he did. Andrade told reporters, “I was angry because the damage that he caused me is irreversible.”