Russell Brand faces prospect of US criminal probe and being sued for millions

Russell Brand faces prospect of US criminal probe and being sued for millions EXCLUSIVE: Ruthless sex predator Brand could be forced to pay a huge sum in compensation to his victims after being convicted of using his fame to target women Russell Brand faces the prospect of US criminal probe and civil lawsuits that could total millions of dollars from alleged victims in the US, a top lawyer has said. The disgraced entertainer, 51, was yesterday remanded in custody after being found guilty of rape and sex assaults against four women. He has separately been publicly accused of raping one woman at his home in Los Angeles in July 2012, as well as sexually assaulting another woman in the Californian city after moving there to launch his movie career in 2009. A High Court claim has already been lodged by a woman seeking £100,000 in damages over claims Brand forced himself on her at his LA mansion in 2008. The 23-year-old says she fled in terror after he allegedly pushed her on to his bed and tried to perform sex acts against her will. Brand is also facing a civil claim in New York, where a woman, known only as Jane Doe, has alleged he sexually assaulted her on the set of romantic comedy Arthur in 2011. Neither of the allegations alleged to have happened in the US was heard during Brand's high-profile trial at Southwark Crown Court, as wrongdoing in the States is outside the jurisdiction of UK police. But US attorney Spencer Kuvin, who represents several victims of Jeffrey Epstein, told the Mirror: "Obviously the authorities in the United States would be interested in any conviction in the UK. "Each case will have to be taken on its individual merit and merely because somebody may have done something wrong to a woman in the UK does not neccesarily mean he's done the same in the US, so they would need to investigate that claim independently to make that adjudication. "But as far as the civil case is concerned obviously that would be very convincing evidence in the civil matter here in the States and very different than the criminal case because in civil you're given much more leeway to utilise evidence in other proceedings. So [a conviction] would be incredibly helpful here in the States as to the civil matter." Mr Kuvin said more potential victims of Brand, who will be sentenced by a judge on Monday, could now come forward. He said: "I certainly think if there are other victims out there that have not come forward yet, that if he is convicted of a crime in the UK, that they would feel much more comfortable coming forward because now they know he'll be behind bars. So I would not be surprised if we find other victims coming forward because they now feel more comfortable to do so if he's convicted." Asked about how much a rape complainant may be able to demand from Brand in a civil case in the US, Mr Kuvin said: "That would be the most severe possible type of case and in my experience of handling these type of cases for over 30 years I would say that case has a value of no less than seven figures in US dollars. "At least a value of $1million US dollars as far as the value of the damages associated with something like that and could exponentially be even more, depending on how it affected the victim and what damage it has done to her." He added: "Every civil case brought in the United States really is judged on its own merits for the value of the case, with no set limits and no particular amounts, so it would really depend on the severity of what occurred to that particular victim and how it has affected them personally. "It could be a less severe matter but it affected them greatly, or it could be a very severe matter but it didn't affect them that greatly. So each case here in the States has no limit, no cap, and is judged strictly on the merits of the case and the effect on the victim." Solicitor Alan Collins, a Partner in the Abuse Claims Team at Bolt Burdon Kemp, says Brand's UK-based victims are also entitled to compensation. He said: "The sentencing judge is obliged by law to make a criminal compensation order as part of the sentence. There is no cap. "Regardless of whether such an order is made, victims can sue their abusers in the High Court for compensation for the physical and psychiatric harm suffered. The damage can be immense and lifelong and compensation can never put right the crimes suffered but can help with rehabilitation, medical costs, and loss of earnings. Each case is different and compensation varies depending on the gravity of the abuse and its consequences. Mr Collins said compensation typically ranges between £35,000 up to six figure sums. Brand is facing a civil case in the US over an accusation of sexually assaulting a female extra in New York City during the filming of romantic comedy Arthur. The lawsuit, filed in the New York Supreme Court in 2023, claims that Brand “appeared intoxicated, smelled of alcohol and was carrying a bottle of vodka on set” before the alleged sexual assault. Court documents further allege that Brand exposed his penis to the woman “in full view of the cast and crew.” Arthur was filmed in New York City in spring and summer 2010 with some scenes reshot a year later. The affidavit alleges: “The sexual assault happened later that same day when I was in the bathroom. Mr Brand entered after me and assaulted me, as a member of the production crew guarded the door from outside.” It adds: “As a result of the sexual abuse, I suffered and continue to suffer extreme embarrassment, shame, and fear. I am concerned that if my identity becomes known publicly in relation to this sexual abuse claim, that embarrassment, shame and fear will be significantly worsened. “Since this case involves a celebrity, I am also concerned that it will be of interest to a lot of people, which would only further exacerbate those feelings of embarrassment, shame, and fear, leading to irreparable harm to my mental health.” Distributor Warner Bros Pictures is also named as a defendant in the case, along with other companies involved in making the film. They are accused of negligence and aiding and abetting Brand by tolerating his behaviour on set. Allegations from four other women regarding Brand were first made in a joint investigation by the Sunday Times, Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches. They claimed he had carried out sexual offences in the UK and Los Angeles between 2006 and 2013. None of those cases featured in the trial. Brand denied the accusations.