#MeToo: CBS Denies Les Moonves’ $120 Million Severance Package

CBS’ former chairman and chief executive Les Moonves will not receive a $120 million severance package after an inquiry into alleged harassment and assault.

CBS said that Les Moonves misled the company over the allegations and failed to work with investigators, meaning ithad grounds to fire him.

Les Moonves stepped down in September following fresh claims he had harassed or assaulted six more women.

He said that the accusations made in The New Yorker magazine were untrue.

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In a statement, CBS said Les Moonveshad displayed “willful and material misfeasance” and failed to co-operate fully with the company’s investigation into the allegations against him.

CBS also said Les Moonves had had violated company policy and was in breach of his employment contract and as a consequence he would not receive any severance payment from the broadcaster.

At the time of Les Moonves’departure as chairman and chief executive at CBS, where he had worked for 23 years, CBS said it had set $120 million aside as possible payment for him pending an investigation.

Actress and writer Illeana Douglas, known for her roles in the filmsGoodfellas and Cape Fear, was oneof the first women to speak publicly about an alleged assault by Les Moonves.

In the first of two articles The New Yorker published on Les Moonves, Illeana Douglas said: “What happened to me was a sexual assault, and then I was fired for not participating.”

The article also said there was a culture of harassment at CBS.

Following an investigation by external law firms, the company said they had concluded “that harassment and retaliation are not pervasive at CBS”.

“However, the investigators learned of past incidents of improper and unprofessional conduct, and concluded that the company’s historical policies, practices and structures have not reflected a high institutional priority on preventing harassment and retaliation.”