Yehuda Berg: Disgraced 'Rabbi of the stars' accused of groping student was once pals with Ashton Kutcher
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Danny Masterson is not the only predator with whom Hollywood hunk Ashton Kutcher has been linked with as RadarOnline reported the ‘No Strings Attached’ actor was an acquaintance of disgraced former rabbi Yehuda Berg.
Berg, the co-director of the Kabbalah Centre International till 2014, was found liable in civil court for intentional infliction of emotional distress caused due to unwanted sexual distress.
More on Yeghuda Berg’s lawsuit
In a lawsuit brought by an ex-KCI student Jena Scaccetti in January 2014, the victim accused Berg of groping her in October 2014.
Per TMZ, Scaccetti alleged that when she rejected Berg’s advances, he became angry and to the extent of saying he would “f***ing kill” her. In the lawsuit, Scaccetti claimed that Berg invited her for dinner at his mother’s apartment to heal the victim’s kidney stones.
But when Scaccetti reached the apartment, she was given alcohol laced with Vicodin. The former rabbi also complained about his life and other teachers.
Per Daily Mail, Berg then purportedly started asking her intimate questions including questions on whether she had a Brazillian wax or had shaved. She also claimed that Berg then started hugging and touching her legs.
In January 2014, she sued her former advisor for $1.5 million and $40 million in punitive damages.
In 2015, the Los Angeles Superior Court jury found Berg was liable for intentional infliction of emotional distress but not battery.
He was ordered to pay $85,000 to the plaintiff. They also ordered KCI to pay the Scacccetti $42,500 for their negligence in supervising Berg.
Berg, who left the organization in May 2014, said that during the time of the crime he was abusing alcohol and drugs, per Los Angeles Daily News.
Ashton Kutcher and Yehuda Berg’s friendship
Scion of the Kabbalah Centre International, Yehuda Berg is the son of the centre’s founder couple Philip Berg and Karen Berg.
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Berg was dubbed as the “Rabbi of the Stars” as the KCI centre in Los Angeles was attended by stars like Ashton Kutcher and Madonna.
Berg even officiated the marriage of Kutcher and Demi Moore in 2005 in front of 100 guests.
While Kutcher was raised as a Catholic, he and his then-wife Demi Moore were interested in Kabbalah - a Jewish mysticism.
Through his interest, Kutcher came to know the disgraced rabbi. In 2013, Kutcher and his then-girlfriend-now-wife, the Ukrainian Jewish actress Mila Kunis also reportedly visited Israel with the Rabbi Berg, per Haaretz.
They reportedly went there to mourn the death of Kabbalah founder Philip Berg.