A Manhattan jury recently awarded $2.78 million to an au pair named Kelly Andrade who was secretly videotaped by a Staten Island man, Michael Esposito, in 2021. Esposito recorded hundreds of nude videos of Andrade and attempted to break down her door after she discovered a hidden camera in her bedroom. Despite being charged with unlawful surveillance, a felony that could have carried a sentence of up to four years in prison, Esposito was allowed to walk by the Staten Island District Attorney, with only probation and counseling as punishment. Andrade expressed outrage at the leniency of the sentence, stating that it was not enough for the irreversible damage he caused her.
Andrade, a Colombian national, came to the United States to work as an au pair for the Esposito family through Cultural Care Au Pair. She discovered the hidden camera in her room less than three weeks into the job, which she claimed was constantly being repositioned by Esposito. When she found the camera with recordings of her undressing, Esposito showed up at the house and she fled by jumping out a window, injuring her knee in the process. She reported the incident to the police, leading to Esposito’s arrest in March 2021.
In April 2022, Esposito entered into a plea agreement in which he completed counseling and was permitted to withdraw his felony plea to a misdemeanor charge of attempted unlawful surveillance. Andrade and her attorney Zachary Holzberg were disappointed with the leniency of the sentence and wanted Esposito to face harsher consequences. At the civil trial in Brooklyn Federal Court, Andrade testified for three days while Esposito did not take the stand. The jury ultimately awarded $780,000 in emotional distress damages against both Michael and his wife Danielle Esposito, as well as $2 million in punitive damages against Michael Esposito.
Andrade, who now lives in New Jersey with her husband, settled her lawsuit with Cultural Care Au Pair for an undisclosed sum. She expressed her desire to speak out to encourage other au pairs and immigrants who have been victims of abuse to report their aggressors and not keep quiet. Despite the difficult process of being on trial and reliving the memories of the incident, Andrade is focused on recovering and moving forward. She emphasized the importance of not being afraid to speak out and seek justice for those who have experienced similar situations.
The case highlights the vulnerability of immigrants and au pairs who may face abuse and exploitation while working in foreign countries. Andrade’s experience sheds light on the importance of holding perpetrators accountable and seeking justice for victims of unlawful surveillance and other offenses. The outcome of the trial sent a message that such behavior will not be tolerated, even if prosecutors are lenient in their punishment. It serves as a reminder for victims to speak out and seek legal recourse in situations where they have been wronged.
