Twenty-First Century Fox paid out $50 million in settlements relating to sexual harassment allegations at its Fox News cable network in the 12 months ended June 30, the company announced in a Monday filing.
The media behemoth has been engulfed in a sexual harassment scandal for months, fallout from which has led to the departure of one of the network’s biggest stars, Bill O’Reilly, who left Fox News in April after the New York Times revealed the company had paid a total of $13 million to settle multiple allegations of sexual harassment against the former host.
In July, Fox suspended Fox Business contributor Charles Payne amid a sexual harassment investigation. And earlier this month, Fox News host Eric Bolling was suspended pending an investigation of allegations that he sent lewd photos to at least three female co-workers.
Last year, former Fox anchor Gretchen Carlson put the network’s sexual harassment issues in the spotlight when she sued former Fox News Chairman and CEO Roger Ailes shortly after her contract expired in June. Her lawsuit was followed by more than 20 women who came forward with sexual harassment allegations against Ailes, leading him to resign in August. Carlson settled her lawsuit with 21st Century Fox for $20 million.
Fellow anchor Megyn Kelly, who decamped to NBC last year, also accused Ailes of sexual harrassment in a book published late last year.