Canal Productions, Robert De Niro’s production company is suing the Hollywood star’s former assistant, accusing her of spending “astronomical amounts of time” binging Netflix and embezzling a significant sum of money.
Chase Robinson was hired as Mr De Niro’s assistant in 2008 and was later promoted to Vice President of Production and Finance. Ms Robinson resigned from the company in April this year amid suspicions of corporate sabotage.
The $8.8 million lawsuit is claiming that Ms Robinson spent exorbitant amounts of money on hotel rooms, expensive dinners, Uber rides, and other non-business related items using a company American Express card.
Ms Robinson is accused of spending over $18,000 at a single New York restaurant over a two year period.
The suit also alleges that the former assistant spent a significant amount of work time binging the sitcom Friends on Netflix, claiming she watched 50 episodes in four days.
At the time of her departure from the company in April, Ms Robinson was earning $445,000 a year. The suit also alleges that Ms Robinson drafted a recommendation letter for herself, which Mr De Niro refused to sign.