Milwaukee, WI – June 2, 2025 — A civil verdict of $4,100,000.00 was awarded to a sexual assault victim last week against former Milwaukee restaurateur and co-owner of C-Viche restaurant, Karlos Soriano-Cabrera. Milwaukee County Judge Yamahiro presided over the case. The victim was represented by Attorney Jason Knutson of the Wisconsin law firm Habush Habush & Rottier. Attorney Knutson filed the complaint on the victim’s behalf for the physical and emotional harm resulting from the assault that took place at C-Viche in September 2022.
This civil verdict follows Soriano-Cabrera’s 2024 criminal conviction on three counts of third-degree sexual assault and one count of fourth-degree sexual assault involving multiple victims, including the victim in this case. Soriano-Cabrera is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence, to be followed by 10 years of extended supervision.
The civil complaint alleged that Soriano-Cabrera acted intentionally and with full awareness that his conduct would cause serious bodily and psychological harm. It read in part, “As a direct result of the defendant’s actions, the victim suffered severe injuries to her mind and body.”
The $4,100,000.00 verdict includes a punitive damages award of $1,000,000.00. Punitive damages are awarded to punish a defendant for especially harmful behavior, and also to deter the defendant and others from engaging in similar conduct in the future.
The verdict reflects the civil justice system’s important role in providing legal recourse for victims of sexual assault in addition to the criminal process.
“We are grateful to the Court for recognizing the severity of what happened to the victim in this case. Civil cases like this can help provide some measure of accountability of the assailant, and acknowledgement for the victim. Sexual assault cases continue to be difficult to pursue, and there is still much room for change in how survivors are treated in the legal system. My hope is this verdict serves its intended purpose, which is to compensate the victim, punish the defendant, and deter conduct like this in the future. The victim in this case was incredibly courageous throughout the criminal trial, and this civil case.” said Knutson.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, support is available. Visit the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault at wcasa.org to learn more about resources and services for survivors in Wisconsin.