The NFL on Thursday released the findings of an investigation conducted into the workplace culture at the Washington Commanders under former owner Dan Snyder. The investigation, conducted by former United States Attorney and SEC Chair Mary Jo White, along with the firm of Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, was requested by the NFL following allegations regarding workplace misconduct were raised at a hearing before Congress.
The investigation from Ms. White found that many of the allegations raised in recent years regarding Snyder and the Commanders were credible, sustaining allegations of sexual harassment as well as financial improprieties.
The report, released by the NFL on Thursday, sustained an allegation of sexual harassment against Snyder by Tiffani Johnston, a former Washington Commanders cheerleader and marketing employee. Ms. Johnston testified before Congress in February of 2022 that Snyder “surreptitiously placed his hand on her thigh during a work-related dinner at a Washington, D.C. restaurant and pushed her towards the back seat of his limousine after the dinner in an unsuccessful effort to have her ride with him.”
The allegation that Snyder also pushed her towards the back seat of his limousine was also sustained.
This is one of the many harrowing parts of the report:
Dan Snyder is out, but the Mary Jo White report is a good reminder of how many people enabled his behavior over the course of decades. This story…. pic.twitter.com/0K7yw6zly0
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) July 20, 2023
The report also sustained an allegation raised by Ms. Johnston “that a former senior executive of the Club improperly took and viewed an unedited calendar photograph” of her.
In addition, the report released on Thursday sustained allegations that the organization “intentionally shielded and withheld an amount of shareable NFL revenues in violation of NFL policies, including forfeited security deposits.” The investigation could not determine whether Snyder “directed or personally participated in the improper shielding of revenues from sharing to the extent required by NFL policies.” The investigation also “did not find that Mr. Snyder was aware of or participated in the failure to share revenues from security deposits to the extent required by NFL policies.”
The investigation further held that Snyder and the franchise failed to cooperate with the investigation itself. “Both Mr. Snyder and the Club failed to cooperate, which extended the Investigation and contributed to an inability to determine: (i) the total amount of improperly shielded NFL revenues; and (ii) the extent of Mr. Snyder’s knowledge and participation in the Club’s improper revenue shielding practices.”
According to the report, the amount shielded from the league was at least $11 million.
“Accordingly, drawing all reasonable inferences from the evidence available to us and the Club’s failure to provide credible explanations or basic supporting detail for the vast majority of financial entries on these items, we find that approximately $11 million in NFL revenues appears to have been improperly shielded and some significant portion of the approximately $44 million of Deferred Income Transfers may also represent shareable revenue received by the Club during the 2009–2015 seasons that was improperly shielded from sharing to the extent required by League policies.”
As a result of these findings, Snyder will pay $60 million to the NFL “in resolution of Ms. White’s findings and all outstanding matters.”
Along with releasing the report, the NFL released a statement from Commissioner Roger Goodell. “The conduct substantiated in Ms. White’s findings has no place in the NFL,” said Commissioner Goodell. “We strive for workplaces that are safe, respectful and professional. What Ms. Johnston experienced is inappropriate and contrary to the NFL’s values.”
The release of the report came on the same day NFL owners unanimously approved the sale of the Commanders from Snyder to a new ownership group led by Josh Harris.
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