Former Anti-Flag Frontman Ordered to Pay $1.9 Million Sexual Assault Damages

Justin Sane, formerly of the band Anti-Flag, has been ordered to pay nearly $2 million to Kristina Sarhadi, who accused him of raping her in 2010. Sarhadi filed a lawsuit in 2023 under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, alleging violent sexual assault, and Sane never responded to the complaint, leading to a default judgment by Judge Brenda K. Sannes. The court awarded Sarhadi $1,170,800 in damages and $750,000 in punitive damages, citing the severe emotional distress and trauma she has endured for over a decade. Sane has denied the allegations but reportedly fled the United States and transferred assets abroad, complicating efforts to serve him and enforce the judgment. Anti-Flag disbanded in 2023 amid multiple sexual assault allegations against Sane, who was known for his pro-feminism stance. Sarhadi expressed that the judgment is a significant validation and a beacon of hope amid broader issues of abuse and misogyny, though she acknowledges the long road to recovery ahead.