The co-founder of a Staten Island commune scored a million-dollar-plus payout Monday from an ex-hippie who publicly bashed him — and then allegedly gunned him down.
Jeffrey Gross, 59 — who helped create the free-loving Ganas commune in Tompkinsville in 1979 — won the $1.3 million civil judgment against former follower and accused assassin Rebekah Johnson, 51.
“She said I’m Charles Manson. She tried to assassinate my career and reputation before trying to take my life,’’ Gross told The Post.
“I don’t expect to see the money, this is about justice,’’ he said.
Johnson claimed that Gross had once arranged for her to be raped at the commune and distributed pamphlets labeling him a “rapist’’ and the leader of a “cult.’’
She was then accused of trying to kill him in May 2006 during an ambush in a dark stairwell at the commune.
Gross was shot six times with a .380-caliber handgun, with the shooter coldly stepping over his body and walking away.
I don’t expect to see the money, this is about justice.
- Jeffrey Gross
Gross said he saw Johnson shoot him, but the weapon was never found, and there was no forensic evidence linking her to the crime, according to reports at the time.
Meanwhile, Johnson fled — even landing on TV’s “America’s Most Wanted’’ as authorities hunted for her.
She was finally caught months later and put on criminal trial.
An AK-47 rifle and 1,000 rounds of ammo had been found at her apartment, but the related search warrant was tossed on a technicality, so the items weren’t allowed into evidence. She was found not guilty.
But the civil-court judge allowed the search-warrant evidence to be passed onto the new jury.
And the six civil-court jurors found her liable, ordering her to pay Gross $605,000 for the shooting, $600,000 for defamation and $100,000 for harassment.
Johnson has denied shooting Gross, who now peddles furniture in Colorado and is separated from his wife, Ganas co-founder Dr. Susan Grossman.
Johnson’s lawyer, Edwin Lambert, said they will try to appeal the verdict.
Johnson “is very calm,” he said. “She said, ‘It appears that the jury just did not like me. They didn’t look at the law. They just made a gut reaction.’ ”
He added that if Gross knew he wouldn’t be getting any money from Johnson, why’d he sue?
“It’s vengeance, it’s the plaintiff’s vengeance,’’ Lambert said.
Johnson was in transit back to her home in Virginia and unable to be reached.