Les Moonbes
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The Los Angeles Ethics Commission charges that former CBS president and CEO Les Moonves conspired with a now-retired LAPD lieutenant to prevent the publication of explosive sexual assault allegations. approved the city’s $15,000 settlement with Mr.
The settlement passed Wednesday represents the maximum amount Mr. Moonves could be sued for in the administrative enforcement matter. In considering penalties, the commission said he had saved resources by cooperating with investigative staff and agreeing to the transaction, but also noted that “the violations in this case are extremely serious” and “deliberate.” .
Moonves “admitted that he violated city law by aiding and abetting the disclosure and misuse of confidential information and by inducing city employees to misuse their positions to generate personal gain,” the settlement states. is written.
Approval of the agreement follows the European Commission’s unanimous vote in February to reject the proposed agreement. He initially agreed to pay an $11,250 fine. Commission Chairman Jeffrey Dahl said at the time that the rejection of the settlement was based on “the egregious nature of the facts alleged” and that the lawsuit highlighted the need for “increasing the maximum fines for violations of city ethics laws.” He emphasized that he was doing so.
The settlement is based on Moonves’ influence with former Los Angeles Police Department Inspector Cory Palka and the late television executive Phyllis Golden Gottlieb, who worked with the former CBS CEO during their time at Lorimer. The investigation focuses on findings that he tried to coerce her into providing confidential information about a sexual assault investigation she initiated. -1980s TV photo. Over the course of a year, Palka and Moonves’ intermediaries communicated several times about the progress of the investigation, at one point discussing how to “keep the media out of the PD” and “find out what’s going on.” . [Golden-Gottlieb] I wish. “
In 2018, Moonves resigned from CBS. Upon hearing the news of his death, Palka, who served as his security guard at the Grammy Awards from 2008 to 2014, said, “I am very sorry that something like this happened. I will always support you.” , we support you and pledge our allegiance to you,” the settlement states.
Moonves was indicted on three charges related to asking Palka, through former CBS senior vice president of talent and special events, Ian Metrose, about the LAPD’s investigation into the Golden Gottlieb allegations.
The Ethics Commission still needs to decide on the fine against Metroz. At the same February meeting where the city’s first proposed settlement with Moonves was rejected, the Ethics Commission also rejected a proposed $2,500 fine against the former CBS executive.
Mr. Moonves’ attorney did not respond to a request for comment.
The allegations against Moonves and his interference in the sexual assault investigation were first disclosed in a 2022 settlement between the New York attorney general and Paramount Global. The $30.5 million deal was announced at the same time as an investigation found that former CBS communications director Gil Schwartz sold millions of dollars worth of stock before the sexual assault accusations became public.
