In 2023, Anti-Flag broke up following accusations of rape against vocalist Justin Sane (real name Justin Geever). He denied the allegations, and then more women came out with stories. That same year, Kristina Sarhadi filed a lawsuit against the singer for sexual assault. He has now been ordered to pay her $1,170,800 and an additional $750,000 in punitive damages.
Though there were several attempts to serve Geever at his home in Pittsburgh, he never formally responded to the lawsuit. Sarhadi’s attorney, John McAllister, wrote to the court last April, saying, “Geever is fully aware of the lawsuit [and] has transferred his assets out of the country, and plans to or already has fled the United States.” Geever reportedly maintains dual citizenship and has an Irish passport.
“Judge Sannes’ careful decision in my case feels like a beacon of hope in a time of emboldened misogyny and unchecked power,” Sarhadi told Rolling Stone in a statement. “While every survivor knows there is no appropriate compensation for the harms we’ve suffered, I am indescribably grateful for the opportunity to be witnessed and the validation of being believed."
“Geever’s silence, absence, and cowardice simply prove what I have known privately for 15 years: There are no heroes,” she added. “Not all who have the stage deserve the spotlight. And there are helpers, supporters, and allies all around us, if we find the courage to use our voice.”
She said she will “likely spend another decade or two repairing and recovering my life.” “But I’m proud of every person who has used this moment to give their shame back to their perpetrator, proud of myself for not backing down, and humbled by the solidarity of survivors on every continent,” she continued. “I am no longer heartbroken by Geever’s betrayal. I’m enraged that patterns of abuse like his continue to escalate in every arena, and more determined than ever to expose and disrupt them.”
Sarhadi alleged that Geever violently raped her after they attended a party together in Upstate New York. She first discussed the experience in a 2023 podcast episode without naming him, but fans of the longstanding punk group connected the dots.
“Justin Geever used his platform as a celebrated, self-proclaimed ‘punk rock star’ to groom and lure vulnerable girls into feeling safe in his presence,” Sarhadi said in a statement when she launched the lawsuit against him. “While he sang about protecting women and standing up to abusers, it appears he was hiding an addiction to power and control, harming countless women who have been unable to speak up before now. Today I hope to encourage his survivors, and survivors of other predators in the music industry, to feel hope again.”
If you or someone you know is undergoing sexual abuse, please visit rainn.org or contact the National Sexual Assault Helpline at 1-800-656-4673.
