TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY FOX INVESTIGATION INITIATED BY FORMER LOUISIANA ATTORNEY GENERAL: KAHN SWICK & FOTI, LLC INVESTIGATES THE OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS OF TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY FOX, INC. - FOX
NEW ORLEANS, LA / ACCESSWIRE / May 5, 2017 / Former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq., a partner at the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF"), announces that KSF has commenced an investigation into Twenty-First Century Fox, Inc. (FOX).
In 2016 through the present, numerous sexual harassment complaints have been made against former head of Fox News Roger Ailes and other executives, resulting in litigation and/or significant settlements paid by Fox, including lawsuits by former Fox News anchors Gretchen Carlson, Andrea Tantaros, Alisyn Camerota, and Julie Roginsky. These claims led to Ailes' resignation in July 2016, followed by a federal probe into Fox's handling of the settlements, which is ongoing and has grown to also include alleged intimidation tactics as well as Ailes' use of a private investigator to dig into the background of the accusers. Former CFO Mark Kranz and former PR chief Brian Lewis have reportedly been subpoenaed and granted immunity from prosecution in meeting with federal prosecutors.
Additionally, on April 19, 2017, Fox announced that Bill O'Reilly, host of The O'Reilly Factor, had been fired following reports that Fox had paid $13 million to settle five sexual harassment claims against him and that an internal investigation had uncovered additional complaints.
Fox News co-president Bill Shine, who has been accused in several lawsuits of covering up Ailes's behavior and ignoring concerns from women who complained about it, was recently fired leaving Jack Abernethy, who has also been named as contributing to the toxic atmosphere at Fox News, in charge of daily operations.
Complaints against Fox News executives have also now grown to include claims of racially abusive treatment made in recent lawsuits filed by present and former employees as well as a gender discrimination lawsuit by former Fox News Radio reporter Jessica Golloher over being fired soon after reporting her own complaints of discrimination to human resources.
Fox has reportedly paid a total of $85 million in payouts to O'Reilly and Ailes, along with settlements of some of the harassment claims.
British regulators Ofcom are reportedly set to meet with one of O'Reilly's accusers, Wendy Walsh, and her attorney as they weigh the approval of Fox's proposed buyout of satellite TV broadcaster Sky, raising concerns that the ongoing scandals could lead to Fox's efforts being rejected.