Fox News Has Now Paid $45 Million For Roger Ailes Sexual Harassment Settlements
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Former Fox News CEO Roger Ailes is still costing the network that used to employ him a lot of money.
The network’s parent company, 21st Century Fox, disclosed in its most recent quarterly report on Wednesday that the company has paid a total of $45 million in costs “related to settlements of pending and potential litigations following the July 2016 resignation of the Chairman and CEO of Fox News Channel after a public complaint was filed containing allegations of sexual harassment.”
Former “Fox and Friends” co-host Gretchen Carlson, who sued Ailes for sexual harassment last year, settled her case for $20 million. Of the remaining $25 million, $10 million was paid during the first three months of 2017.
After Carlson filed her suit, more than 20 women stepped forward accusing the former CEO of improper behavior and sexual harassment ― allegations that reportedly spanned the course of decades.
And accusations of inappropriate behavior during his tenure continue to surface. Last month, Fox News severed ties with Bill O’Reilly, the network’s most popular personality, after a bombshell New York Times report about mounting sexual harassment allegations and settlements. Just last week, Bill Shine, who was one of Ailes’ chief lieutenants at the network and tapped to run things when he left, resigned amid allegations that he worked to coverup and downplay continued reports sexual harassment and racial discrimination.
In addition to harassment litigation, 13 former and current Fox News employees are suing the network for racial discrimination.
Despite the allegations that led to Ailes and O’Reilly’s removal from the network, which both men deny, they each left Fox News with payouts worth millions. O’Reilly received $25 million as part of his settlement to leave the network, while Ailes was rumored to have received as much as $40 million to exit.