A CUNY public health professor Spring Chenoa Cooper, who specializes in sexuality, won $30 million in a revenge porn lawsuit against her ex-boyfriend, the largest verdict ever awarded in such a case in New York City, according to her lawyer.
Who is Dr. Spring Chenoa Cooper?
Dr. Spring Chenoa Cooper, 43, was awarded the staggering sum by a Manhattan jury on Friday, six years after filing the city’s first revenge porn case against Brooklyn comedian Ryan Broems for posting naked videos and photos of her online following their split.
“It’s been the worst six years since this all started,” Cooper told The Post on Tuesday. “It means so much to me that the jury could validate my experiences and see how much pain and trauma this has caused and continues to cause me.”
Cooper sued her ex, Broems, in 2018 for allegedly posting explicit videos and photos
Cooper, an associate professor at the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, sued Broems, 37, in 2018 for allegedly posting explicit videos and photos of her on Tumblr, as well as her faculty, Facebook, and OK Cupid profiles.
According to a transcript of the plea hearing reviewed by The Post, Broems pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor of disclosure of an intimate image on Dec. 15, 2021, and was sentenced to 26 weeks in a program for abusive partners, with no jail time.
He was also ordered to stay away from Cooper for five years following his sentence.
Broems was not represented at Cooper’s lawsuit trial, and she did not even show up, according to her lawyer, Daniel Szalkiewicz.
The jury was only asked to determine how much Broems should pay Cooper in damages after a judge previously found him liable for Cooper’s revenge porn claims.
Cooper said she doesn’t expect to see any of the money, but the verdict sends a strong message of deterrence to others.
“It’s symbolic for me more than anything. The symbolism is that this isn’t okay and that’s what I feel is most important here,” Cooper told The Post.
“I’m grateful that the jury sent a message to my ex and every person who has even considered posting an intimate image or video of someone without their consent, that this is not something our society condones,” she added.
“In fact, it’s a sexual assault, we find it reprehensible, and the justice system is on our side.”
Broems joked on Twitter about Cooper’s restraining order against him in February 2018
Cooper and Broems split in November 2017 after a “tumultuous” year together, and Cooper discovered he had allegedly slept with five women in the last week of their relationship, according to her lawsuit.
According to the lawsuit, Broems ruthlessly harassed Cooper following their breakup, including sending her daily Snapchats of himself masturbating each morning.
When Cooper blocked him on the social media app, Broems retaliated by posting nude images of her online, according to the lawsuit.
Cooper, who was devastated and humiliated, filed a police report and obtained a protective order against Broems from Family Court, but that did not prevent him from continuing to post about her, according to the lawsuit.
Broems joked on Twitter about Cooper’s restraining order against him in February 2018.
On Valentine’s Day that year, Broems wrote, “My ex is such a romantic.” According to a tweet shown to the jury, she had my Valentine’s Day card hand delivered by the police, which read, ‘Roses are red, Violets are blue, Please always keep 500ft, Between me and you,'”
Cooper was concerned that her career was coming to an end. Fortunately, she can now say it did not suffer, though she wonders if people harbor hidden prejudices against her as a result of the humiliating experience.
Cooper’s April lawsuit was the first under New York City’s revenge porn laws, which went into effect in February 2018
Cooper also stated that her love life has suffered as a result of her newfound difficulty in trusting new people.
While she has had some subsequent relationships, “I’ve also had a lot of break-ups over the past several years.”
Cooper’s April lawsuit was the first under New York City’s revenge porn laws, which went into effect in February 2018, according to her lawyer.
Cooper now has the city’s largest verdict in a revenge porn case, according to Szalkiewicz.
“We’re grateful that the New Yorkers who served on this jury recognized that image-based sexual abuse has serious and lifelong consequences for those who are victimized,” Szalkiewicz said in a statement Tuesday.
“We also hope this verdict acts as a warning that this sort of behavior is not tolerated here.”
Victims of revenge pornography can seek monetary damages, legal fees, and injunctions to prevent future postings. The criminal component of the statute punishes those who commit the crime with up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Broems, whose most recent address is listed in Connecticut, did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday. His criminal defense attorney stated that he did not represent him in the civil lawsuit.