On the night of Oct. 25, 2012, plaintiff Jena Scaccetti, a Kabbalah student in her 30s, was allegedly sexually battered by Rabbi Yehuda Berg, the co-director of The Kabbalah Centre-Los Angeles. Scaccetti was a student at The Kabbalah Centre-Los Angeles for six years, during which time Berg was one of her spiritual advisors. On the night of Oct. 25, 2012, Scaccetti was at the apartment of Berg’s mother, the Chief Executive Officer and Spiritual Director of Kabbalah Centre International Inc., in New York City. However, Scaccetti claimed that during the night, Berg attempted to rape her. She claimed that she rejected his advances and after four hours, Berg called a cab to take her home in the early morning hours of Oct. 26, 2012. Scaccetti sued Berg and Kabbalah Centre International Inc. Scaccetti alleged that Berg’s actions constituted sexual battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. She also alleged that the Kabbalah Centre was negligent in the supervision and retention of Berg. Scaccetti claimed that Berg attempted to rape her by pushing her to drink alcohol and take a Vicodin pill — followed by demanding that she take more Vicodin pills so that she would be unable to resist his sexual advances. She also claimed that Berg placed his hands on her legs and forcibly embraced her while demeaning her. Scaccetti alleged that she rejected his advances and that the four-hour ordeal ended with Berg calling for a cab to take her home, but only after he seized her phone and deleted messages. She further alleged that Berg threatened to severely beat her and kill her if she told anyone what happened that night or told anyone about the sensitive information he shared with her as it relates to the Kabbalah Centre. Plaintiff’s counsel contended that Kabbalah Centre International Inc. knew of Berg’s problems and propensity to engage in inappropriate behavior, but nonetheless kept him on and failed to supervise him. Berg admitted that he was addicted to alcohol and drugs at the time of the alleged incident and that he left the Kabbalah Centre in May 2014 to get treatment for his addictions and is now sober. As a result, Berg acknowledged that he offered alcohol and Vicodin to Scaccetti, as well as touched her leg, but he insisted that he left her alone when she rebuffed him. Counsel for the Kabbalah Centre contended that while Scaccetti was over Berg’s mother’s apartment, Berg was suffering from kidney stones and that Berg only offered the Vicodin for pain relief. Counsel further contended that while the Kabbalah Centre did not approve of Berg’s actions, it was not liable for supervising him., Scaccetti claimed that she was sexually assaulted, causing her to suffer emotional distress. She claimed that as a result, she continues to experience anxiety and depression. Scaccetti, who was raised Catholic, claimed that she was depressed for months after the incident and that she gave up her decision to convert to Judaism due to the incident. She also claimed that she now shuns religious middle men and that in order to protect herself, she lives with her brother in a home with security cameras. Thus, plaintiff’s counsel recommended that Kabbalah Centre International be ordered to pay $455,000 in total damages and that Berg be held liable for $730,000 in damages. Defense counsel contended that Scaccetti has moved on from the incident and has established her own business, even inventing an organic deodorant sold in more than 100 stores.