The Uber passenger facing hate crime charges for allegedly pepper-spraying a Muslim driver in Manhattan is Jennifer Guilbeault, a 23-year-old former PR professional who lost her job following the incident.
Guilbeault, a Manhattan College alumna, was recently indicted on two counts of assault as a hate crime and aggravated harassment, stemming from the July attack on her rideshare driver, Shohel Mahmud.
Dashcam footage captured the moment Guilbeault leaned forward from the back seat and sprayed Mahmud, a 45-year-old father of three, in the eyes with pepper spray.
Her friend, visibly shocked, can be heard questioning her, asking, “Jen, what are you doing?” Mahmud later claimed that Guilbeault’s assault was racially motivated, as she reportedly referred to him as “brown.”
According to Mahmud, the assault took place just as he began a prayer in Arabic while stopped at a red light on the Upper East Side.
Guilbeault’s employer, D Pagan Communications in Melville, New York, where she had recently begun her public relations career, swiftly terminated her after the incident.
Debra Pagan, the agency’s president, stated the company’s disapproval of Guilbeault’s actions in a post on X (formerly Twitter) in August, emphasizing that the firm does not condone such behavior.
Guilbeault, originally from Northbridge, Massachusetts, earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations, advertising, and communication from Manhattan College.
During her college years, she held the role of VP social chair for the Sigma Delta Tau sorority, with social media posts depicting her and her sorority sisters at formals and other events.
The incident unfolded around 12:15 a.m. on a Midtown street near Lexington Avenue and East 66th Street. Mahmud reported that he hadn’t interacted with the passengers before the attack.
When Guilbeault’s friend questioned her actions, Guilbeault allegedly responded, “He’s brown.” Believing he was being robbed, Mahmud jumped out of the vehicle but quickly reentered to stop the car from rolling, only to be sprayed again.
Guilbeault was initially given a desk ticket at the scene but now faces serious charges following her indictment.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg stated that the alleged assault appears to have been racially motivated, taking place as the driver engaged in an Arabic prayer.
Guilbeault’s attorneys, however, dispute the hate crime designation.
Her lawyer, Michael J. Alber, contends that the charges are misguided, stating, “Ms. Guilbeault was not motivated by race, religion, national origin, or any other discriminatory factor.”
He added that the case “needs to be looked at with all surrounding circumstances, which include assessing all of the evidence and lack of evidence.”
The case has drawn widespread attention online, particularly as hate crime statistics continue to rise across major U.S. cities.
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