New York investment banker Jonathan Kaye was attacked and called anti-Semitic slurs outside his court appearance, after being charged with assault for slugging a woman at a Pride event.
Kaye, 52, the now former managing director at Moelis & Company, made headlines in early June after viral video showed him throwing a vicious punch at a female reveler at the Brooklyn Pride Parade on June 8.
He was arrested on Monday morning after he willingly turned himself in to police in Brooklyn, where he has been booked on second and third degree assault charges.
Upon leaving court, he and his lawyer were met by attackers, at least one of whom – a man – went after Kaye with keys that they were attempting to use as a knife.
The group Kaye and his attorney engaged with also had antisemitic slurs hurled at them, with at least one member of the pro-Hamas group calling out ‘Zionist pigs’ and ‘Jewish dogs’.
New York investment banker Jonathan Kaye was attacked outside his court appearance, after being charged with assault for slugging a woman at a Pride event
Kaye, 52, the now former managing director at Moelis & Company, made headlines in early June after viral video showed him throwing a vicious punch at a female reveler at the Brooklyn Pride Parade on June 8
The man physically attacked the lawyer from behind and then tried to chase Kaye with his car keys between his fingers.
A woman eventually told the attacker to run, which he did. DailyMail.com has reached out to the NYPD for comment.
It comes after sources close to the financier came forward with his side of the story in the wake of the controversy last month, claiming the fracas had unfolded after a group of four female ‘Queers for Palestine‘ supporters allegedly started taunting the Jewish financier and throwing liquids at him as he left a nearby restaurant that night.
Unseen footage obtained by DailyMail.com offers new insight into the events leading up to scuffle, showing the moment the two parties cross paths on the street in Brooklyn’s Park Slope neighborhood, before getting into a heated physical confrontation.
The CCTV images, captured by a nearby restaurant, show Kaye emerging from the right side of the sidewalk, where the group of revelers appear to be hanging out on the corner.
The two parties appear to exchange words as Kaye walks by, but he continues walking, before glancing back at the group after they allegedly begin hurling slurs and insults.
As he continues up the sidewalk, he crosses paths with someone who appears to be returning to the same group of friends in the corner, and they exchange words as well.
It is unknown exactly what was said, but it was apparently provocative enough to cause Kaye to stop and turn around and approach the group.
Upon leaving court, he and his lawyer were met by attackers, at least one of whom – a man – went after his female attorney with a knife
The group Kaye and his attorney engaged with also had antisemitic slurs hurled at them, with at least one member of the pro-Hamas group calling out ‘Zionist pigs’ and ‘Jewish dogs’
Jonathan Kaye leaves Brooklyn Criminal Court after he was arraigned and released on his own recognizance for punching a woman at a Pride Rally in Brooklyn, with his lawyer, who was also reportedly attacked
The confrontation quickly turns chaotic and physical, with Kaye seen being surrounded and then shoved into the street, off screen, catching the attention of nearby onlookers.
After the altercation unfolds off camera, he reappears in frame seconds later and continues on his way down the sidewalk.
Last month sources told DailyMail.com that Kaye, who is Jewish, had told the group they were ‘on the wrong side’, prompting the women to gang up on him
Now, DailyMail.com understands Kaye had turned around and went back to confront the group after hearing the anti-Semitic slurs directed towards him.
In a statement to DailyMail.com, Kaye’s legal representative Danya Perry, Perry Law said: ‘Mr. Kaye, a middle-aged Jewish man with no history of violence or aggression, was terrorized, assaulted, and surrounded by a group of unruly anti-Semitic protesters.
‘What the previously released video clip does not show is what another video and other evidence we have shared with the DA does show: that these agitators formed a ring at him, doused him with two unknown liquids, shoved him to the ground, and hurled anti-Semitic slurs at him.
‘Terrified and injured, Mr. Kaye managed to act in self-defense to escape the situation and return safely to his family. We are hopeful that the District Attorney will fully and fairly consider these facts, along with the surge of anti-Semitic acts, protests, and attacks that are ravaging our city. We will aggressively fight injustice, and we look forward to a full vindication for our client.’
As previously reported by DailyMail.com, insiders close to the 52-year-old banker had claimed the viral clip did not capture the full clash, which they say began when the group began hurling anti-Semitic slurs at Kate, who is Jewish.
New footage obtained by DailyMail.com shows the moment millionaire investment banker Jonathan Kaye first encounters a group of Pride parade-goers as he walks by them on the corner of a Brooklyn street on June 8
Kaye, 52, continues walking down the sidewalk where he then encounters another member of the group (red arrow) and the two exchange words
It is unknown what was said between the two, but the exchange was enough to prompt Kaye to turn around and approach the group. The bankers’ attorneys have claimed the group had hurled anti-Semitic slurs at him
The confrontation quickly turns aggressive and violent, as the group gangs up on Kaye and shoves him onto the street
Kaye is said to have told the group that they were ‘on the wrong side’, prompting the women to gang up on him, the source said.
‘You could say that he initiated it, but he didn’t,’ a source told DailyMail.com.
‘He just said “you are on the wrong side”, and then the four of them came at him – they threw liquids at him. He didn’t know what the liquid was. They were shouting slurs at him.
‘He fell or he was chest bumped, and can’t remember that bit. But he ended up on the pavement with them four over him.
‘He got up and swung at one as he was trying to escape, and then he ran.’
They also claim that the footage shows Kaye covered in liquid, with a stain on his back, in the now-viral video.
Pictures obtained by DailyMail.com show Kaye’s clothes soaked in a red liquid, which he believes was Gatorade, and blood pooling around his ankle after he was shoved to the floor.
Kaye was recorded throwing a punch at the unnamed woman during a pride parade in Brooklyn on Saturday evening, although there has not been an official probe launched by the NYPD.
Viral video had shown Kaye throwing a vicious overhand right at an unnamed woman in Brooklyn – where he also lives in a four bedroom townhouse in pricey Park Slope, valued at just over $4million
A source with knowledge of the incident said the viral clip does not tell the whole story, which they claim began when a group of Queers for Palestine supporters attacked Kaye as he left dinner. Pictured: Kaye’s injuries
Pictures obtained by DailyMail.com show Kaye’s clothes soaked in a red liquid, which he believes was Gatorade, and blood pooling around his ankle after he was shoved to the floor
Posters with his face, home address and cell phone number have been plastered in the area close to his $4million four-bedroom townhouse in pricey Park Slope, as neighbors erupted and demanded the father-of-three be arrested.
Defending the banker, who works as a Managing Director at Moelis & Company, a leading investment bank with offices in Midtown Manhattan, the source said the whole thing was ‘super anti-Semitic’.
They added: ‘You can clearly see in the video, if you slow it down, that he’s wet because they were throwing liquids at him.
‘That video clip is cut and doesn’t show the entire thing. He’s never had one issue in his entire life never been arrested or anything.
‘It was a super anti Semitic attack of four individuals ganging up against one Jewish man. It’s left him completely traumatized.’
Kaye is currently under investigation by the bank, with a spokesman confirming his identity and adding that they are taking the footage and allegations seriously. An official report has not yet been made to the NYPD though they are aware of the footage.
In the clip, the woman is seen being thrown to the floor by the force of the punch, as one onlooker unsuccessfully rushes to her aid.
Others looking on are heard calling Kaye an ‘a**hole’ and telling him to ‘go f**k himself’ – earning his attention briefly before he abruptly walks away.
Kaye, who lives his wife, owns multiple properties on the street, which he rents out to neighbors.
One said she was ‘shocked’ when she saw the footage this morning, adding that the father-of-three always seemed ‘normal’, although she normally spoke with his wife.
Another neighbor described scenes of chaos on the usually quiet street last night, as the victim’s friends ran up and down screaming that Kaye had assaulted a woman.