The man allegedly responded with “Shut up, you fucking bitch,” and gave her the middle finger, as shown in surveillance footage cited in the complaint.
Moments later, DeGiorgio appears in the video, placing both hands around the man’s neck and choking him. The footage shows the victim stumbling and falling. The man later told investigators he felt like his throat was going to be ripped out and recalled DeGiorgio threatening, “I am going to fucking kill you.”
DeGiorgio declined to answer questions from the FBI without a lawyer. His wife told agents she regretted confronting the man and acknowledged that he never physically touched her.
A spokesperson for DeGiorgio’s legal team told the New York Times that he “responded to the actions of an individual who harassed his wife, making her feel threatened and intimidated.” They added, “Although charged with a simple misdemeanor, Mr. DeGiorgio looks forward to being absolved of any wrongdoing.”
DeGiorgio took the helm as CEO of First American Financial in 2022, succeeding longtime chief executive Dennis Gilmore, who transitioned to chairman of the board. DeGiorgio had previously served as the company’s president, overseeing key segments such as title insurance, specialty insurance, and data and analytics.