Federal judge issues $20M verdict against Syria for torture of US citizen taken captive in 2019

A Washington, D.C.-based law firm secured a judgment of more than $20 million against the Syrian Arab Republic on behalf of Sam Goodwin, a St. Louis native held captive in the country’s notorious prison system for 63 days while on a trip to visit every country in the world.

U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly awarded Goodwin $20,201,620 in damages, about $10 million each in compensatory and punitive damages, in response to a lawsuit filed under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act's "state sponsor of terrorism" exception.

Roughly half of the judgment is payable through the U.S. Victims of State-Sponsored Terrorism Fund, which is financed by sanctions proceeds and other penalties. Depending on the amount of money...