Why was Paul Haggis put under house arrest in 2022? Italian judge dismisses case against the Oscar-winning director

Paul Haggis, Oscar-winning director, was formally exonerated of r*pe charges in Italy. Nearly three years earlier, a British woman had accused him of sexual assault at a film event in the southern province of Puglia. The renowned filmmaker was placed under house arrest following his arrest in June 2022. The dismissal marks the end of a prolonged legal ordeal for the acclaimed director.

Haggis, now 72, was arrested in the Italian town of Ostuni in June 2022 while he was there to give a lecture at the Allora Film Festival. While residing at a nearby bed and breakfast, a 30-year-old British woman claimed that the director sexually assaulted her over the course of two to three days.

Paul Haggis was placed under house arrest by Italian police shortly afterward and was detained for 14 days while the accusation was investigated. Haggis’s prominence as a filmmaker brought the case widespread media attention. He wrote and directed the 2004 film Crash and also wrote the script for Clint Eastwood’s Oscar-winning Million Dollar Baby.

Italian judge dismisses case against Paul Haggis, the Oscar-winning director

The lawsuit was essentially dismissed on May 7, 2025, when a court in Brindisi decided that no sexual acts had taken place without the woman’s consent. Judge Vilma Gilli agreed with the prosecutor’s suggestion to dismiss the case completely, according to a statement issued by Haggis’ attorneys.

Attorneys Michele Laforgia and Daniele Romeo said:

"For Mr. Haggis, it is the end of a nightmare that has unfairly shattered the career of a film genius and 2006 Oscar winner."

At a news conference set for May 8 in Bari, the capital of Italy’s Puglia region, Haggis is anticipated to discuss the outcome publicly.

Requests for comment from the woman who submitted the complaint’s legal team were not immediately answered.

Paul Haggis' other legal issues

Although the Italian case has now been dismissed, Paul Haggis has encountered other significant legal issues. He was found guilty by a New York jury in November 2022 of r*ping publicist Haleigh Breest, who claimed he had sexually assaulted her at his Soho flat in 2013. In March 2023, the court ordered him to pay $10 million in damages and an additional $2.8 million in legal expenses, for a total of $12.8 million.

According to the Associated Press, Paul Haggis testified during the trial that they had a consensual affair and called Breest a “willing partner.” DNA evidence, however, connected him to seminal fluid discovered on her clothes.

Since then, three more women have come forward to accuse Haggis of sexual misconduct, harming his career and reputation in the midst of the worldwide #MeToo movement.

In another instance, a Manhattan court in 2025 ordered Paul Haggis to pay TransPerfect—a business that provides trial preparation services—more than $115,000. The director was accused by the company of not paying for services such as database work and graphic materials that were provided during his civil trial. According to reports, Haggis informed them that he was unable to locate a signed contract and has since stopped communicating with them.

Paul Haggis now provides expensive acting sessions while he resides in Italy.

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