‘EVASIVE AND UNTRUTHFUL’

Leslie Moonves Destroyed Evidence and Misled Investigators, Report Says

Investigators’ draft report said to claim network has “justification” to deny ex-CEO his $120m severance.

Former CBS Chief Executive Leslie Moonves reportedly “destroyed evidence and misled investigators” in an attempt to retain his $120 million severance package after being publicly accused of sexual misconduct, The New York Times reports. According to a draft report prepared for the network’s board, lawyers hired to review the matter found that CBS has “justification to deny” Moonves his large severance because he violated his employment agreement. The draft reportedly states that Moonves deleted text messages that showed him offering a CBS role to a potential sexual-assault accuser and he allegedly “handed over his son’s iPad” to investigators “instead of his own.” The report also details previously undisclosed sexual-misconduct allegations against Moonves and alleges that he engaged in “serious nonconsensual sexual misconduct” both in and outside of work prior to starting his career at CBS in 1995, according to the Times. While Moonves was described as “evasive and untruthful” in the report, his lawyer, Andrew J. Levander, told the Times Moonves “denies having any nonconsensual sexual relations” and claimed his client “cooperated extensively and fully with investigators.” The report has yet to be presented to the network's board.

UH OH

Moonves Schemed to Silence Accuser With Acting Roles: NYT