A NANNY has won a whopping $2million payout after a millionaire dad-of-four allegedly recorded hundreds of nude videos of her with a camera hidden in a smoke detector.
Colombia-born Kelly Andrade, 25, had been living with Michael Esposito, 35, and his family at their lavish home in New York’s Staten Island.
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According to a lawsuit filed in Brooklyn Federal Court, fast-food chicken mogul Esposito attempted to force her door while she cowered in terror after discovering the hidden camera in her bedroom.
He was taken into custody in 2021 on suspicion of illegal surveillance, a crime carrying a maximum four-year prison sentence.
But Esposito was granted permission to walk by the Staten Island District Attorney and a Staten Island judge, on the condition that he complete two years of probation and counselling.
A Manhattan jury has now awarded $2.78million to the outraged au pair, who said her millionaire ex-boss got only a “slap on the wrist” from prosecutors.
An emotional Andrade told the New York Post: “It’s not enough for the whole situation I’ve been through these three years. It’s not enough.
“I was angry because the damage that he caused me is irreversible.”
Before being hired by placement agency Cultural Care Au Pair and travelling to the US, the South American woman completed hundreds of hours of training.
The organisation then matched her with Esposito, the owner of three LaRosa Grill franchises, and his wife, Danielle.
While the renovations were underway on their neighbouring $2.3 million property, the Esposito family was residing in the lakefront Tottenville home belonging to Danielle’s parents.
Andrade was given a bedroom by the Espositos to sleep in while she took care of their four small children.
But the lawsuit stated that the au pair saw Esposito frequently in her room tinkering with the ceiling smoke detector, which “was constantly being re-positioned.”
Andrade filed a lawsuit less than three weeks into the new job, when she checked the smoke detector and found a camera with a memory card full of “hundreds of recordings,” many of which she claimed captured her “nude and/or dressing/undressing.”
Esposito arrived at the residence “within minutes” of her discovering the gadget.
“He seemed very nervous and he seemed very worried when he arrived to the house,” she recalled.
The young nanny previously told The New York Post that she tried to pretend to be asleep to get Esposito to leave, but he was “banging on the door” and she entered “fight or flight mode”.
“I need to get away,” she said, adding that she injured her knee after jumping from a first-floor window.
The first night after leaving the Espositos, Andrade “slept on the street in a bush,” her attorney, Zachary Holzberg told the outlet.
Andrade then reported the incident to police, who arrested Esposito on March 24, 2021.
But the businessman from Staten Island “entered into a two-step plea” in April 2022.
According to the Staten Island District Attorney’s office, he “was permitted” to withdraw his felony plea and enter one of attempted unlawful surveillance – a misdemeanour, with only two years of probation, after “successfully completing” a year of counselling.
I was angry because the damage that he caused me is irreversible
Kelly Andrade
Andrade wanted Esposito to be imprisoned and gave three days of testimony during the four-day civil trial held in Brooklyn Federal Court this month.
She said to be “in shock” just from being in the same room as Esposito, although he never took the stand, the New York Post reports.
Attorney Holzberg claimed that “there was no consequence” for the chicken franchise boss, “who got probation… a slap on the wrist.”
He added: “Despite him doing this, he got to go home to is wife and children in their mansion and she’s sleeping on the street.”
The jury awarded $2 million in punitive damages against the dad, and a further $780,000 in emotional distress damages against both Michael and his wife Danielle.
Andrade said she is focused on recovering herself from the trial, as she had to “relive” moments she’s been trying to forget.
The Colombian, who lives in New Jersey with her husband of two years, said that she is speaking out to encourage other au pairs and immigrants who have been “victims of abuse.”
Andrade resolved her claim with Cultural Care Au Pair last month for an undisclosed fee, according to court documents.