Firm Honored for Landmark $20M+ Human Rights Verdict Against BNP Paribas in Genocide Financing Case
DiCello Levitt has been named among Law360’s Legal Lions of the Week for its role in securing a historic $20.75 million jury verdict against global bank BNP Paribas. The recognition follows a five-week federal trial in Manhattan, where a jury found the bank liable for enabling the genocidal campaign waged by Sudan’s al-Bashir regime against Black African civilians.
Tried before Judge Alvin Hellerstein in the Southern District of New York, the case marks the first-ever jury verdict holding a financial institution civilly liable for financing genocide. DiCello Levitt joined the litigation team just 70 days before trial, with Lead Trial Counsel Bobby DiCello guiding the firm’s efforts alongside co-counsel from Hausfeld, Hecht Partners, and Zuckerman Spaeder.
The verdict awarded $6.7 million to Abulgasim Abdalla, $7.3 million to Entesar Osman Kashef, and $6.75 million to Turjuman Adam—three Sudanese refugees whose suffering was directly linked to BNP Paribas’ sanctions-violating financial services.
This outcome not only delivers long-awaited justice to survivors but also sets a powerful precedent for holding financial institutions accountable for enabling crimes against humanity.
The DiCello Levitt team included Bobby DiCello (Lead Trial Counsel), Ken Abbarno, Greg Gutzler, Carrie Syme, Mark DiCello, Adam Levitt, Joseph Frate, and Madeline Harding.
The team was also named Law.com’s first runner-up for Litigator of the Week.
