Fri, July 21, 2023
NFL fines former Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder $60million for sexual harassment and withholding revenue
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Following a seventeen-month long investigation the NFL has fined former Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder $60million over findings of workplace misconduct and financial misconduct.
The NFL announced on Thursday that former Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder will pay $60 million to the league in resolution of the findings from former U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White's investigation into the franchise and “all outstanding matters.” Snyder and the Commanders had been subjects of a league investigation led by White concerning allegations of workplace misconduct and potential unlawful financial conduct.
Former employee Tiffani Johnston alleged Snyder had made sexual advances towards her such as placing his hand on her leg under a table and pushed her towards his car so she would join him once the dinner had concluded.
Snyder denied these allegations but independent investigator Mary Jo White, former chair of the US Securities and Exchange Commission said Ms Johnston was “highly credible”.
“The conduct substantiated in Ms White's findings has no place in the NFL," said NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. "We strive for workplaces that are safe, respectful and professional. What Ms Johnston experienced is inappropriate and contrary to the NFL's values.”
White's investigation identified "approximately $11 million in revenues" that the team appeared to have "improperly shielded from sharing, to the extent required by NFL policies." White also identified in her report "additional ticket, parking, license, and other revenues that were transferred from an account that held shareable football-related revenues into non-shareable accounts." However, the report could not determine the exact amount withheld due to “the club's failures to cooperate in producing requested relevant documents, as well as the unwillingness of certain former senior executives to be interviewed.”
The report also stated that Snyder "refused to be interviewed" for nearly a year, and "when he did finally agree to an interview, he declared that it would be limited to one hour."
Snyder bought the team for $800million in 1999 but has recently sold the team for over $6billion.
The NFL’s statement can be found here.
