Kristin Knouse has been ordered to pay $9.6 million in damages after a defamation lawsuit filed by Professor David Sabatini, a former MIT cancer researcher. The ruling stems from #MeToo allegations made by Knouse against Sabatini, which were later revealed to be false through text messages.
According to reporting by the Daily Mail, Knouse's allegations led to Sabatini's ousting from MIT and a period of deep personal distress, during which he reportedly attempted suicide. Sabatini told the Daily Mail that at his lowest point, he felt like a shell of his former self.
Evidence presented in court, including text messages exchanged between Knouse and Sabatini, indicated that their relationship was consensual. The texts reportedly showed Knouse making inappropriate comments, including demands for "hard" sex and jokes about being gang-raped, which undermined her claims of sexual assault after Sabatini ended their relationship. Knouse was pictured during a deposition where she was questioned about these texts.
Despite the scandal and the defamation ruling, Knouse has reportedly retained her position at MIT. Sabatini, meanwhile, was pictured with boxes of his work sent to his home after his departure from the institution. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where Sabatini was a prominent researcher, has seen staff rally around him after he was falsely accused.
Knouse is pictured at a hearing in December 2025 after being sued for defamation by Sabatini. He won his civil case against her and she has now been ordered to pay him $9.6 million. 