Back in July, Ronan Farrow’s latest exposé was published in The New Yorker. Farrow had spoken to multiple women who said they had been harassed and victimized by CBS CEO Les Moonves. The women made claims about how Moonves had abused his authority and power in various ways from sexual harassment to actual sexual assault. The reaction to Farrow’s exposé was muted, because Moonves is a powerful guy and because CBS’s toxic boys’ club had been covering up for Moonves (not to mention covering up for “talent” like Charlie Rose) for decades. Moonves denied everything and his wife, Julie Chen, stood by him. But quietly, Moonves and CBS began working on his resignation and his golden parachute. Moonves would go away quietly for a massive price. Except that there are more women, more victims. Ronan Farrow dropped another New Yorker exposé last night – you can read the full piece here.

Members of the board of the CBS Corporation are negotiating with the company’s chairman and C.E.O., Leslie Moonves, about his departure. Sources familiar with the board’s activities said the discussions about Moonves stepping down began several weeks ago, after an article published in the The New Yorker detailed allegations by six women that the media executive had sexually harassed them, and revealed complaints by dozens of others that the culture in some parts of the company tolerated sexual misconduct. Since then, the board has selected outside counsel to lead an investigation into the claims.

As the negotiations continue and shareholders and advocacy groups accuse the board of failing to hold Moonves accountable, new allegations are emerging. Six additional women are now accusing Moonves of sexual harassment or assault in incidents that took place between the nineteen-eighties and the early aughts. They include claims that Moonves forced them to perform oral sex on him, that he exposed himself to them without their consent, and that he used physical violence and intimidation against them. A number of the women also said that Moonves retaliated after they rebuffed him, damaging their careers. Similar frustrations about perceived inaction have prompted another woman to raise a claim of misconduct against Jeff Fager, the executive producer of “60 Minutes,” who previously reported to Moonves as the chairman of CBS News.

[From The New Yorker]

The New Yorker details some of the accusations against Moonves, and all of the new victims who have come forward, including one woman who actually went to the police and had Moonves criminally investigated for sexual assault. Just a few hours after The New Yorker dropped this new article, Moonves resigned (in disgrace), but not before he issued a public statement calling all of his victims liars. CBS announced that Moonves would not receive any “exit compensation,” at least not until the independent investigation was completed. CBS is also adding six new board members and they announced a $20 million donation to “organizations that support the #MeToo movement and workplace equality for women. The donation will be deducted from any severance payments that may be due to Moonves.”

Photos courtesy of WENN.