The Greek-born writer, known for his famous High Life column since 1977, was found guilty of assaulting a woman in 2009 while she was staying at his chalet in Gstaad in the Swiss Alps during a ski weekend.
Theodoracopulos vehemently declared his innocence, stating that the accusations were part of a conspiracy to ruin his career, as reported by The Guardian.
His lawyer has indicated that they intend to appeal the verdict.
The victim, whose identity is protected for legal reasons, described her traumatic experience to the Oberland regional court in Thun, saying, "I felt like a piece of meat. I didn't feel that he saw me as a person at all. I tried hard to put the incident behind me, but it shook my professional confidence and had ongoing emotional consequences."
She initially reported the incident to the Met Police in 2019, explaining that she waited a decade to come forward because she believed no one would believe her.
She said, "I didn't think anyone would believe me. The accused was, and is, a wealthy and powerful man. I thought everyone would think I was lying, and I was trying to make my way in my career. But, also, I felt ashamed. I thought I shouldn't have accepted the invitation, I shouldn't have gone, and that if I tried to say something, everyone would say it was my own fault."
Judge Martin Blatter found Theodoracopulos guilty of attempted rape and imposed a 12-month suspended sentence for two years. Additionally, the journalist was ordered to pay court costs and compensate the victim.
