The CEO suffered a man who danced barefoot on the cruise ship, says the United States
The CEO of a large insurance company of the United States title is facing a criminal accusation to suffocate another passenger aboard a Caribbean cruise, an altercation that an investigator said he started when the CEO’s wife told the other man to put his shoes as he danced in one of the ship’s bars, said the FBI Thursday.
Kenneth D. Degiorgio, CEO of First American Financial Corporation, who recorded revenue for over 6 billion dollars last year and had more than 19,000 employees at the end of 2024, was accused of aggression, said the authorities.
The clash occurred on March 31 on board the Resiliente lady, a cruise ship for adult only managed by Virgin Voyages, which was about 70 nautical miles west of Fort-de-French, the capital of Martinica, according to a criminal complaint.
The investigators told that the victim had told them that he was on the dance floor in one of the ship’s bars, on the rocks, when Mr. Degiorgio grabbed him by the neck and started to suffocate him, that the video of the security camera corroborated. The man, whose identity was not revealed, said that Mr. Degiorgio had threatened to kill him.
The altercation began shortly after that Mr. Degiorgio’s wife had faced the man to dance barefoot, saying: “Look, are we all adults here-Puoi wearing shoes?” Mr. Degiorgio’s wife told investigators that the man had made her a rough observation and the security video showed him giving her the average finger, according to the FBI
The ship’s captain ordered Mr. Degiorgio not to leave his cabin until the cruise lining reached San Juan, Puerto Rico, his next call port, the next day. Once there, he refused to answer the applications of the FBI agents and requested a lawyer, the authorities said.
“The violent crimes committed on board the cruise ships fall into the federal jurisdiction and we take them very seriously,” said Devin J. Kowalski, a special actor responsible for the San Juan Campo office of the FBI, in a well -known Thursday. “If you break the law at sea, expect to face consequences on Earth.”
In a declaration at the New York Times on Thursday, Degiorgio’s legal team rejected the accusations of being the attacker.
“Mr. Degiorgio replied to the actions of an individual who harassed his wife, making her feel threatened and intimidated,” said the declaration. “Although accused of a simple crime, Mr. Degiorgio can’t wait to be absolute from any offense.”
Mr. Degiorgio, who was released by the authorities and who lives near Los Angeles, risks up to a year in prison if sentenced for the charge of aggression.
Company deposits show that Mr. Degiorgio received almost $ 7.8 million in total compensation in 2024 from First American Financial, a company listed on the stock exchange based in Santa Ana, California. The company, which provides insurance for the title and other financial services products, did not respond to a commentary request on Thursday.
Nor a representative for virgin travel.
Alan Feuer Contributed relationships.
