Former Moelis banker Jonathan Kaye, who was filmed punching a woman in the face amid a Pride celebration in Brooklyn last June, pleaded guilty Friday to six misdemeanor charges, including assault.
However, Kaye can get his case downgraded and expunged if he satisfies certain conditions, Bloomberg reported. Kaye can have his misdemeanor charges converted into violations, leaving him a clean criminal record, according to the plea hearing in Brooklyn.
The ex-Moelis banker must complete 25 days of community service, attend three anger management sessions and pay the victims $50,000 in restitution fees.
Kaye was put on leave after the incident came to light and left the boutique firm soon after. His lawyer, Danya Perry, said at the time that Kaye acted in self-defense after protesters against actions in Gaza surrounded him, “doused him with two unknown liquids, shoved him to the ground, and hurled antisemitic slurs at him,” according to the Financial Times.
Investment firm Rothschild & Co. announced Monday that Kaye will join the firm. He will be the global co-head of business services of its North America unit and will play a key role in the growth of the business services team while helping the firm expand its North America global advisory business, the company noted.
“[Kaye’s] extensive experience and leadership will add significant strategic value to our global advisory clients and will be instrumental in advancing our Business Services franchise around the world,” Robert Leitão, a Rothschild managing partner and head of global advisory, said in a statement Monday. “We are confident that Jonathan’s contributions will help drive the continued growth of our presence in North America and the overall success of the firm.”
Kaye has advised over 100 transactions involving large-cap and middle-market private equity across a dozen verticals, according to his hiring announcement. Before his stint at Moelis, Kaye served as a managing director in Citi’s global M&A group.
“I greatly look forward to working with the global team as well as leveraging my own experience and relationships for the continued growth of Rothschild & Co.'s North America and Business Services teams,” Kaye said in a statement.
Kaye was filmed striking a woman later identified as Micah Phillip in a 10-second video that went viral June 8. He was charged with two counts of third-degree assault, two counts of third-degree menacing and two counts of second-degree harassment.
Phillips, whose nose was broken in four places, according to her lawyer Ron Kuby, said during a television interview after the incident that she wants Kaye “to be a better person after this.”
“I want him to take anger management. I want him to get therapy,” she told New York City’s NBC4. “I want him to not be in a position of power until he’s able to be a better member of the community.”
Judge Dale Fong-Frederick cautioned Kaye on Friday that he must adhere to the agreement, respect the protection order for two women, and avoid any new arrests. If Kaye fails to comply, the deal would be voided, potentially leading to up to one year of jail time, Bloomberg reported.
Kaye and Michael Farkas, his lawyer, declined to comment to the wire service after the hearing.
