In a shocking revelation, Michelle Ritter, a 31-year-old tech entrepreneur and former intimate partner of Eric Schmidt, the ex-CEO of Google and prominent Democrat donor, has lodged serious allegations against the billionaire in a filing at the Los Angeles County Superior Court.
Ritter accuses Schmidt of a range of abuses, including sexual battery, harassment, domestic violence, and breaches of computer hacking and wiretapping laws during their relationship, which commenced in 2020.
As reported by Breitbart, the court documents reveal that Ritter alleges Schmidt sexually assaulted her on a yacht in November 2021, forcefully pushing her against a shower wall and disregarding her pleas to cease. She further claims that he initiated sexual activity while she was asleep at the Burning Man festival in Nevada in August 2023.
Ritter's lawsuit against Schmidt, as previously reported by Breitbart News, accuses the tech magnate of stalking and abuse. The court documents, obtained by the New York Post, disclose that Ritter alleges Schmidt subjected her to an "absolute digital surveillance system" during their tumultuous relationship, which was marked by disputes over money, a failed AI startup, and access to a sprawling Bel Air mansion.
Ritter, who encountered Schmidt while studying at Columbia University and began a relationship with him in 2020, sought a temporary restraining order against the tech tycoon late last year. In early December, they reached a "written settlement agreement" that obligated Schmidt to make "substantial payments" to Ritter. However, merely a week later, she lodged a "domestic violence restraining order" against him. This order was withdrawn three weeks later when the two parties apparently reached a new agreement.
Ritter's allegations against Schmidt extend to claims of unwanted voyeurism, asserting that he secretly photographed her in the nude, including instances where he entered the bathroom to take pictures while she was showering. She characterizes Schmidt as "erratic," alleging that he disrobed and exposed himself to his private jet's flight crew and transported marijuana on the aircraft.
Ritter's accusations of physical abuse include multiple instances of shoving, resulting in bruises and scratches, and intimidation through screaming inches from her face. She also alleges that Schmidt pressured her to appear "really hot and sexy" at business meetings, encouraged her to use prescription stimulants for weight loss, and later ridiculed her for looking "emaciated."
Ritter also alleges that Schmidt installed spyware on her computer in November 2021, granting him access to her texts, emails, and documents. She claims that Schmidt admitted to creating a "backdoor" to Google servers to access anyone's private information, extending beyond her to targeted employees.
The relationship concluded after photographs emerged in early 2024 of Schmidt with a 22-year-old woman, according to court documents. Post-separation, Ritter alleges that the surveillance intensified, with Schmidt breaking into her Tesla and stealing her laptop while she was dining at a restaurant.
Schmidt's attorney, Patricia Glaser, who previously represented Harvey Weinstein, has denied the allegations, labeling them as "false and defamatory." On the other hand, Ritter's attorney, Skip Miller, maintains that the lawsuit seeks justice for a brilliant young woman who was exploited and abused by a powerful tech billionaire.
The court filing also delves into the business dealings between Ritter and Schmidt, who invested $100 million in their shared startup incubator, Steel Perlot. Ritter alleges that Schmidt employed accounting maneuvers to saddle the company with debt and ousted her from another firm, Knox, depriving her of control over shared companies.
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