Uber has reached a confidential settlement in a Georgia lawsuit involving a 14-year-old girl who was sex-trafficked in November 2024 after being picked up by an Uber driver at a Butts County gas station and transported to Clayton County, where she was repeatedly raped, according to court filings.
The Mechanics of the 2024 Incident and Legal Arguments
The civil complaint filed against the rideshare company detailed a harrowing sequence of events from November 2024. A man the teenager had been communicating with online ordered an Uber to a gas station in Butts County. After collecting the 14-year-old, the operator transported her a distance exceeding 30 miles to a residence in Jonesboro belonging to a man who subjected her to drugs and repeated rapes over a span of four days.
Legal representation for the teenager argued that Uber turned a blind eye in transporting a minor without parental consent. The core of the liability argument focused on the driver’s failure to verify the child’s age, request identification, or contact her parents.
Thomas Bonner remains held in the Clayton County Jail. His pending legal matters include counts of sodomy, aggravated child molestation, statutory rape, enticing a child for indecent purposes, and sexual battery against a person under 16.
The Battle Over CEO Depositions and Court Filings
A Gwinnett County judge ruled that Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi could be deposed under oath. Uber fought the ruling, attempting to shield its CEO from testifying.
Facing the prospect of executive depositions, the parties filed a motion on a Friday detailing the settlement terms. Uber denied liability in the case.
Structure of the Financial Resolution
The settlement avoids a trial in Gwinnett County. While the exact financial figure remains confidential, the court filings confirm that the monetary award will be placed into a trust. The funds will be held until the girl turns 18 years old.
Uber representatives declined to comment on the settlement.
