A financial CEO is facing federal charges for allegedly choking out a fellow cruise passenger who called his wife a “f—king bitch” for asking him to stop dancing barefoot, according to the FBI.
Kenneth DeGiorgio, the 53-year-old CEO of Southern California mortgage lending company First American Financial, attacked the other man in one of the Virgin Voyages ship’s cocktail lounges Monday while telling him, “I’ll f—king kill you,” according to a federal complaint.
The other passenger, only identified by the initials M.A., later told federal investigators he “felt as if his throat was going to be ripped out,” the documents said.
The fracas erupted early Monday in international waters off Martinique after the CEO’s wife, Nichol DeGiorgio, asked M.A. to stop dancing barefoot in the Resilient Lady’s “On the Rocks” bar, telling him, “Look, we are all grown-ups here, can you put your shoes on?”
“Shut up, you f—king bitch,” M.A. allegedly shot back while also flipping the bird, the documents said.
DeGiorgio was then seen on surveillance footage crossing the dance floor and attacking the cursing cruise passenger, grabbing him by the throat and forcing him to the floor, according to the complaint.
Security was called and the ship’s captain ordered DeGiorgio confined to his room until the next port of call.
The ship’s security contacted the FBI to report an assault when the vessel pulled into San Juan, Puerto Rico, the following day.
Nichol DeGiorgio blamed herself for asking M.A. to put his shoes on, while telling agents the other man “never touched her.”
DeGiorgio refused to speak to the feds without his attorney, according to the complaint.
He is charged with assault within maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States.
The Post has reached out to DeGiorgio’s Santa Ana-based company for comment.
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