washington-football-team-dan-snyder-settled-2009-sexual-misconduct-claim-for-$1-6-million

Washington Football Team, Dan Snyder Settled 2009 Sexual Misconduct Claim for $1.6 Million

Dan Snyder and the Washington Football Team settled a former team employee’s sexual misconduct claim in 2009 for $1.6 million.

The alleged incident happened on Snyder’s private jet, the Washington Post reported. They were returning from the Academy of Country Music Awards. The paper didn’t release the woman’s name nor the specifics of her allegation. Though someone familiar with the accusation said it was a “serious accusation of sexual misconduct.”

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A person aware of the settlement spoke with the paper on the condition of anonymity.

“The agreement, which was signed on July 22 of that year by an attorney on behalf of Snyder and two other team executives, did not describe the nature of the allegations. In the agreement, neither Snyder nor the team acknowledged any wrongdoing,” the Post reported.

Dan Snyder has owned the Washington Football Team since 1999. Though he’s currently embroiled in a legal dispute with the team’s minority owners, the New York Times reported. He’s trying to buy out their 40 percent stake in the Washington team.

Despite the team’s poor performance this season, Washington is close to winning the NFC East division. The team has a 6-8 record but will likely make the playoffs.

Washington Football Team Called a Toxic Workplace

The 2009 settlement comes after several women accused team executives of harassment.

Fifteen women told the Washington Post in July that team leaders made unwanted sexual advances, comments on their appearances, and were verbally abusive. Moreover, one female employee said she was told to wear a tight dress to a client meeting to give the men “something to look at.”

“It was like fresh meat to a pack of wolves every time a new pack of interns would come in,” said Brittany Pareti, a marketing executive for the team from 2007 to 2012, according to Forbes. “It was like a frat house, with men lined up in the lobby watching women walk in and out. You constantly felt there were eyes on you.”

Snyder fired two top front office employees following the report.

“The behavior described in yesterday’s Washington Post article has no place in our franchise or society,” he said in a statement at the time. “This story has strengthened my commitment to setting a new culture and standard for our team.”

The NFL took over the investigation of those claims in August.

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