Former Anti-Flag frontman Justin Sane has been ordered to pay nearly $2 million in damages to a woman who alleged that he raped her in 2010, Rolling Stone reports and Pitchfork can confirm. The woman, Kristina Sarhadi, filed a lawsuit against Justin Sane, whose legal name is Justin Cathal Geever, in 2023, but the singer never responded to the complaint in court. As a result, Judge Brenda K. Sannes granted a default judgment against Justin Sane.
Judge Sannes handed down her ruling on Tuesday, July 22. She awarded Sarhadi $1,170,800 in damages related to her claims of assault, battery, and sexual battery. She awarded Sarhadi a further $750,000 in punitive damages. Judge Sannes also denied Sarhadi’s motion for default judgment with respect to a claim of intentional infliction of emotional distress. Pitchfork has reached out to Justin Sane and attorneys for Sarhadi for comment on the judgment.
Sarhadi initially filed her lawsuit in a New York state court, under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, but the case was moved to a federal court at the beginning of 2024. In her complaint, Sarhadi alleged that Justin Sane “strangled her, forced her to perform oral sex on him, and raped her” at a motel when she was 21 years old.
Sarhadi’s lawsuit arrived months after Anti-Flag’s sudden breakup. Justin Sane’s former bandmates eventually explained that allegations of sexual assault contributed to the group’s dissolution. Justin Sane denied that he committed sexual assault, but numerous women, including Sarhadi, soon came forward to speak with Rolling Stone about Justin Sane’s allegedly predatory and abusive behavior.
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual assault, we encourage you to reach out for support:
RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline
https://www.rainn.org
1 800 656 HOPE (4673)
Crisis Text Line
SMS: Text “HELLO” or “HOLA” to 741-741