A finance CEO was involved in a huge brawl aboard an adults-only Virgin Voyages cruise after a male passenger called his wife ‘a f***ing b****,’ for asking him to put shoes on in a bar, it is claimed.
Kenneth DeGiorgio, the chief exec at the mortgage company First American Financial, is accused of choking out the male passenger, who has only been identified as M.A., on the Resilient Lady cruise ship.
The altercation reportedly began on Monday when the 53-year-old CEO’s wife Nichol DeGiorgio asked the male passenger to stop dancing barefoot at the ship’s cocktail lounge.
Nichol reportedly told the male passenger: ‘Look, we are all grown-ups here, can you put your shoes on?’
The male passenger reportedly flipped the bird as he replied: ‘shut up, you f***ing bitch.’
DeGiorgio reportedly screamed, ‘I’ll f***ing kill you,’ as he assaulted the alleged victim.
The alleged victim told police that during the attack he ‘felt as if his throat was going to be ripped out.’
The incident happened on international waters, off the coast of Martinique, in the Resilient Lady’s On the Rocks bar, according to court documents cited by The Independent.
DeGiorgio was apparently seen on security footage grabbing him by the throat and forcing him to the floor.
The ship’s captain was called during the incident and DeGiorgio was confined to his cabin until the ship reached the next port.
Ship workers contacted the FBI upon arrival to San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Tuesday.
Nichol reportedly blamed herself for the incident, telling police the man who insulted her ‘never touched her.’
Meanwhile DeGiorgio refused to speak to the federal agents without his lawyer present.
He has been charged with assault and faces up to a year in prison if convicted.
A spokesperson for DeGiorgio told NBC News he acted while protecting his wife.
‘Mr. DeGiorgio responded to the actions of an individual who harassed his wife, making her feel threatened and intimidated,’ the spokesperson said.
The CEO is said to be looking forward to being absolved of any wrongdoing, per the outlet.