CEO allegedly choked fellow cruise ship passenger over dance floor dispute: FBI

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A California CEO is facing federal charges after surveillance footage shows him choking a fellow cruise passenger following a verbal spat, according to the FBI. 

Mortgage lending company First American Financial CEO Kenneth DeGiorgio, 53, allegedly attacked a man while vacationing on the Resilient Lady of Virgin Voyages while the ship was traveling in international waters off Martinique on Monday. 

First American Financial and Virgin Voyages did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

Federal prosecutors allege that DeGiorgio choked a man, identified by the initials M.A., in the ship’s cocktail lounge, while saying, “I’ll f—ing kill you,” according to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital. 

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Resilient Lady, a 110,000 GT cruise ship operated by Virgin Voyages, sails the Tagus River towards Lisbon cruise terminal on Aug. 17, 2024, in Lisbon, Portugal.   (Horacio Villalobos-Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)

The assault allegedly occurred after DeGiorgio’s wife, Nichol, asked M.A. to stop dancing barefoot, telling him, “Look, we are all grown-ups here, can you put your shoes on?” 

M.A. reportedly replied, saying, “Shut up, you f—ing b—-.”        

Surveillance footage shows DeGiorgio crossing the dance floor and grabbing the man, holding him by the neck while dragging him to the floor, according to the complaint. 

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Ship authorities contacted the FBI upon arriving in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and DeGiorgio was ordered to be confined to his stateroom by the ship’s captain. (iStock)

Ship authorities contacted the FBI upon arriving in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and DeGiorgio was ordered to be confined to his stateroom by the ship’s captain. In an interview with law enforcement, Nichol DeGiorgio said that M.A. “never touched her,” and took responsibility for the incident, claiming she should not have asked the man to put his shoes on. 

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DeGiorgio is charged with assault within maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States. 

DeGiorgio was charged after the alleged spat on the Resilient Lady. (Virgin Voyages)

The U.S. Department of Justice did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

In a statement to the New York Post, DeGiorgio’s legal team said the CEO had “responded to the actions of an individual who harassed his wife, making her feel threatened and intimidated,” adding, “although charged with a simple misdemeanor, Mr. DeGiorgio looks forward to being absolved of any wrongdoing.”

Julia Bonavita is a U.S. Writer for Fox News Digital and a Fox Flight Team drone pilot. You can follow her at @juliabonavita13 on all platforms and send story tips to julia.bonavita@fox.com.