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Steven Donziger
Environmental Attorney
Led Ecuador Pollution Case Against Chevron
Overview
American environmental attorney who spent decades fighting Chevron (formerly Texaco) over massive oil contamination in the Ecuadorian Amazon that affected 30,000+ indigenous people. Won a historic $9.5 billion judgment in 2011, then became the target of an unprecedented corporate retaliation campaign. Chevron used a RICO countersuit to invalidate the judgment, and Donziger was disbarred, placed under house arrest for 993 days, and sentenced to 6 months in prison for criminal contempt; prosecuted by a private attorney appointed after DOJ declined. His case is widely seen as the most extreme example of corporate capture of the legal system.
Key Affiliations
Controversies & Concerns
UNPRECEDENTED CORPORATE RETALIATION: After winning $9.5B judgment against Chevron, became target of massive legal counterattack funded by Chevron spending $2B+ on 2,000+ lawyers
DISBARRED AND IMPRISONED: Charged with criminal contempt by private law firm hired by Chevron-linked judge; DOJ had twice declined to bring charges
UN CALLED FOR RELEASE: UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention found his detention arbitrary and called for his release and compensation
CHEVRON RICO CASE: Judge Kaplan (who had Chevron investments) ruled Ecuador judgment fraudulent based on recanted testimony
993 DAYS DETENTION: Longest contempt detention in US history for the charges while Chevron avoided paying for Amazon cleanup
Related Investigations (1)
Known Associates & Connections
Chevron Corporation
Target of $9.5B Ecuador pollution case, orchestrated retaliatory prosecution
Sources & Documentation
3 documented sources from official records, investigations, and reports
Personal Information
- Born
- Unknown
Education
- •Harvard Law School, Juris Doctor
Key Timeline
1993
Filed Lago Agrio lawsuit on behalf of 30,000+ Ecuadorian indigenous people against Texaco/Chevron
2011
Ecuadorian court issued $9.5 billion judgment against Chevron for Amazon contamination
2014
Judge Kaplan ruled Ecuador judgment obtained through fraud via RICO
2019
Charged with criminal contempt after refusing to turn over devices to Chevron
2020
Placed under house arrest; restrictions lasted 993 total days
2021
Disbarred and convicted of criminal contempt, sentenced to 6 months
2022
UN Working Group called for release; released from prison, continues advocacy