CBS CEO Leslie Moonves Resigns After 6 More Sexual Harassment Allegations

Merely hours after reports of six more women claiming Leslie Moonves sexually harassed or assaulted them came out, the latter stepped down as chairman and CEO of CBS Cooperation on Sunday.

Initially, six women had accused Moonves of the same in July this year. CBS said his financial exit package will be withheld pending the results of the ongoing investigation against him.

According to an employment contract he signed in May 2017, Moonves was eligible for as much as $180 million if he was fired without a cause, CBS said, adding, according to recent reports, he was eligible for a potential payout of about $100 million.

Jessica Pallingston, his assistant during the 1990s who accused Moonves of forcing her to perform oral sex on him, called his payout "completely disgusting."

"He should take all that money and give it to an organization that helps survivors of sexual abuse," she said.

Moonves and CBS will donate $20 million to one or more organizations that support the #MeToo movement and equality for women in the workplace, the CBS board of directors said in a statement.

The latest claim accused Moonves of unwanted sexual advances, intimidation, and retaliation, the New York Times reported.

According to the report, the women claimed Moonves forced them to perform oral sex on him and exposed himself to them without their consent. Some said he physically intimidated them and retaliated by damaging their careers when they rejected his advances.

A named accuser in the report, television executive Phyllis Golden-Gottlieb, accused Moonves of “physically restraining her and forcing her to perform oral sex on him, and of exposing himself to her and violently throwing her against a wall in later incidents,” when they were working together in the 1980s.

"Every two days, he'd find a darker space or a place downstairs," she said, adding if she refused he retaliated against her. "He absolutely ruined my career.”

Law officials told the New Yorker though her claims were credible and consistent since the statutes of limitations for the crimes expired, prosecutors will not pursue charges against Moonves.

Moonves called three allegations as consensual encounters in a statement, which said, “The appalling accusations in this article are untrue. What is true is that I had consensual relations with three of the women some 25 years ago before I came to CBS. And I have never used my position to hinder the advancement or careers of women. In my 40 years of work, I have never before heard of such disturbing accusations. I can only surmise they are surfacing now for the first time, decades later, as part of a concerted effort by others to destroy my name, my reputation, and my career. Anyone who knows me knows that the person described in this article is not me.”

"CBS takes these allegations very seriously. Our Board of Directors is conducting a thorough investigation of these matters, which is ongoing,” CBS told Business Insider when they tried to reach out for comment.

The long-standing legal battle between CBS and National Amusements Inc. (NAI) over control of the company was also settled shortly after Moonves stepped down.

Joe Ianniello, CBS chief operating officer, was named interim CEO, and six new members were added to the 14-member board.

“CBS is an organization of talented and dedicated people who have created one of the most successful media companies in the world,” Shari Redstone, CBS vice chair and president of NAI, said. “Today’s resolution will benefit all shareholders, allowing us to focus on the business of running CBS – and transforming it for the future. We are confident in Joe’s ability to serve as acting CEO and delighted to welcome our new directors, who bring valuable and diverse expertise and a strong commitment to corporate governance.”