Odey Asset Management founder Crispin Odey has settled a series of civil personal injury claims relating to allegations of sexual assault, bringing to a close another major legal dispute involving the former fund manager, according to a report by the Financial Times.
The claims, brought by five women, had been scheduled to go to trial next month alongside a separate defamation case Odey had launched against the Financial Times over its reporting on allegations of sexual misconduct. Odey withdrew the libel action in April.
Lawyers acting for the claimants confirmed that four settlements have now been formally recorded with the court. Financial terms have not been disclosed.
The civil proceedings included a range of allegations spanning more than two decades. These included claims of rape in the mid-1990s, allegations of sexual assault and harassment involving employees and acquaintances, and accusations of inappropriate sexual conduct as recently as 2021.
Odey has consistently denied the allegations. In previous statements, he described one rape allegation as “wholly false”, rejected claims of harassment and assault, and maintained that a 2021 incident described by a claimant was consensual.
The settlements follow mounting legal and regulatory pressure on Odey since media reports published in 2023 detailed allegations from multiple women accusing him of sexual misconduct. Several of the women involved in the personal injury claims were expected to testify in the abandoned libel proceedings.
In correspondence cited by the Financial Times, Odey’s legal representatives said he dropped the defamation action because the newspaper was likely to succeed using a public interest defence, while continuing to deny the allegations against him.
The settlements were reportedly reached through so-called Part 36 offers, a mechanism under English civil procedure rules designed to encourage parties to settle disputes before trial. Under the process, claimants who reject settlement offers and fail to secure a better outcome in court can become liable for substantial legal costs.
Odey continues to challenge a separate enforcement action brought by the UK financial regulator, which imposed a ban and financial penalty against him. A ruling in that case is expected later this year.
