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Report: CBS News Paid Alleged Victim of Don Hewitt Over $5 Million for Her Silence

The founder of “60 Minutes” was accused of sexually assaulting a woman “over a period of years.”

CBS News is paying off a woman who alleged she was sexually assaulted by former 60 Minutes Executive Producer Don Hewitt decades ago, The New York Times reports. Lawyers tasked with investigating CBS’ workplace culture are said to have written in a draft report that a woman was sexually assaulted “over a period of years” by Hewitt, the creator of the Sunday news program who died in 2009. The assaults reportedly “derailed the woman’s career,” and a $450,000 settlement was reached in the 1990s after CBS reportedly found her allegations to be credible. Since then, CBS has “renegotiated six amendments” to the settlement, agreeing to pay her more money for her silence each time. The Times reports the settlement is now over “$5 million in total,” along with “annual payments of $75,000 for the rest of her life.” Investigators also found that Jeff Fager, Hewitt’s successor, did not respond appropriately to allegations against former producer Michael Radutzky and current producer Ira Rosen. According to the newspaper, the report found that Radutzky was “abusive, screamed, and threw objects at other 60 Minutes staff,” and Rosen was said to have “occasionally made inappropriate sexual comments to his female subordinates.” Fager left the show after sending threatening messages to a CBS News reporter who was looking into allegations of his behavior.

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