Eric Schmidt—Sued by former partner alleging sexual assault, surveillance, and abuse
In November 2025, former partner Michelle Ritter filed a lawsuit against Eric Schmidt alleging sexual assault, physical abuse, and digital surveillance. The lawsuit claims Schmidt raped her on a yacht in November 2021 and at Burning Man 2023, photographed her without consent while nude, physically shoved her leaving bruises, and used a 'backdoor' to spy on employees. Ritter is seeking at least $100 million in damages. Schmidt's attorney called the claims 'false and defamatory' and part of a business dispute. The case follows a December 2024 domestic violence restraining order that was withdrawn after a financial settlement.
Scoring Impact
| Topic | Direction | Relevance | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corporate Governance | -against | primary | -1.00 |
| Digital Safety for Vulnerable Users | -against | secondary | -0.50 |
| Overall incident score = | -0.409 | ||
Score = avg(topic contributions) × significance (medium ×1) × confidence (0.55)
Evidence (1 signal)
Sued by former partner alleging sexual assault, surveillance, and abuse
In November 2025, former partner Michelle Ritter filed a lawsuit against Eric Schmidt alleging sexual assault, physical abuse, and digital surveillance. The lawsuit claims Schmidt raped her on a yacht in November 2021 and at Burning Man 2023, photographed her without consent while nude, physically shoved her leaving bruises, and used a 'backdoor' to spy on employees. Ritter is seeking at least $100 million in damages. Schmidt's attorney called the claims 'false and defamatory' and part of a business dispute. The case follows a December 2024 domestic violence restraining order that was withdrawn after a financial settlement.