An NFL investigation substantiated claims that outgoing Washington Commanders owner Daniel Snyder sexually harassed a former employee at a work-related dinner and the team deliberately underreported revenues to the NFL, according to a report released Thursday.
The NFL released the 23-page investigative report, which was prepared by former U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White and a team of outside lawyers, shortly after its owners voted unanimously to approve Snyder’s sale of the Commanders to Josh Harris for $6.05 billion. The league said in a statement that Snyder will pay the league $60 million, or about 1% of that sale price, “in resolution of Ms. White’s findings and all outstanding matters.”
“The conduct substantiated in Ms. White’s findings has no place in the NFL,” the league’s commissioner, Roger Goodell, said in a statement.
The long-awaited release of the report came more than 17 months after the NFL tabbed White, who also previously served as chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, to investigate Snyder and the Commanders.
It also served as a damning coda to his 24-year run as the owner of Washington’s pre-eminent professional sports franchise.
The NFL said in a statement that White’s team interviewed “dozens” of witnesses as part of its investigation and reviewed more than 10,000 documents.
Though the investigators did not find sufficient evidence to make a determination on some of the allegations levied by former employees, the report said they were able to sustain two of the key claims they were tasked to look into − including the allegation of sexual harassment levied against Snyder.
