Former TV executive Andrew Kreisberg was arrested earlier this year after an alleged incident at a bar mitzvah.
Vanity Fair reported on Tuesday, October 3, that Kreisberg, 52, was charged with misdemeanor forcible touching following his arrest in March. According to court documents obtained by the outlet, the incident took place in May 2022 at a bar mitzvah in Pleasantville, New York. A woman, who was a friend of the producer’s wife, made a statement to the police describing her alleged encounter with Kreisberg.
“Andrew Kreisberg … approached me at the table. While we are standing at the table, Andrew gets behind me and starts putting his hands all over my arms and back,” she claimed. “He then slid his hands around my waist, grabbed my waist firmly, and thrust his fully erect penis into my buttocks twice. It all happened so fast that I wasn’t sure what exactly was going on until I felt Andrew shove his fully erect penis into my buttocks. When I realized what was going on, I screamed, ‘What the f–k are you doing? Get the f–k away from me.’ Then I went to the bathroom.”
The woman, whose name was not made public, told the authorities she decided to come forward because Kreisberg “needs to have someone stand up for themselves against him.” Kreisberg’s legal team, meanwhile, has refuted her allegations.
“Mr. Kreisberg remains a very talented creative person. He is misunderstood for being a neurodivergent individual who is socially awkward,” Kreisberg’s lawyer said in a statement to Vanity Fair, arguing that the report was “another event of ableist bullying” against neurodivergent folks.
At an August court hearing, a judge granted an Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal. In order to have the case fully dismissed, Kreisberg must continue with psychiatric therapy, which his lawyer indicated he was “already doing” prior to the hearing. According to Vanity Fair, the case remains open.
Kreisberg worked on The CW’s The Flash, Arrow, Supergirl and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow as a writer, codeveloper, co-showrunner and executive producer. In November 2017, he was suspended after being accused of sexual harassment on set. Deadline reported at the time that several staffers from the DC shows complained about Kreisberg, accusing him of inappropriate behavior and creating a toxic work environment.
Several stars from Kreisberg’s shows — including Melissa Benoist and Grant Gustin — spoke out against sexual harassment and voiced their support for the alleged victims as news broke of the scandal. The claims led to an investigation, and Kreisberg was ultimately fired from the network.
“After a thorough investigation, Warner Bros Television Group has terminated Andrew Kreisberg’s employment, effective immediately,” the studio announced in a November 2017 statement. “We remain committed to providing a safe working environment for our employees and everyone involved in our productions.”
