A former WNYC reporter has sued his erstwhile employer after he was fired on the grounds that he had plagiarized a story. Fred Mogul is alleging wrongful termination and defamation. Mogul, 52, who had worked at WNYC for 18 years, was fired in early February from his post covering health care. He claims he included just two sentences of AP copy in a draft version of a story and credited the wire service at the bottom of the draft. Mogul says the two sentences did not appear in the final version of the story, published on WNYC’s sister site Gothamist under the headline “Cuomo Wants Rapid Testing to Reopen Sporting Events. Should he Consider COVID-Sniffing Dogs?” At a meeting on Mogul’s dismissal, WNYC reporters pointed out to new editor-in-chief Audrey Cooper that it was common practice at the outlet to use AP copy with credit. Dozens of WNYC reporters signed a petition to have Mogul reinstated, and their union has also sued WNYC. The radio station’s parent company told the New York Post, “The lawsuit is meritless and NYPR will defend itself vigorously in court proceedings.”