NFL Fines Washington Football Team $10MM

A lengthy investigation into the sexual harassment allegations of 15 former Washington Football Team employees led to a financial penalty Thursday. The NFL fined the WFT $10MM, according to a league announcement. The fine will be donated to charity.

Washington will not be docked draft picks or see executives suspended, but independent counsel Beth Wilkinson’s investigation will result in this fine and what the NFL calls “other remedial measures and penalties.” It will also impact owner Dan Snyder‘s role.

The NFL did not suspend Dan Snyder, but his wife — co-CEO Tanya Snyder — will now oversee the franchise’s day-to-day operations, according to the league’s announcement. Tanya Snyder will also represent the WFT at NFL owners meetings for the next several months. The WFT announced Tanya Snyder as co-CEO last month. Dan Snyder will remain involved with the team, though it is not known when he will resume day-to-day control.

The accusations, which included “unwelcome overtures or comments of a sexual nature” and “exhortations to wear revealing clothing and flirt with clients to close sales deals” stemmed from 2006-19. Three former members of Dan Snyder’s inner circle and previous members of the team’s personnel department were among those accused.

Washington’s workplace featured an unprofessional environment, for women in particular, for many years, according to the NFL-overseen investigation, which noted that bullying and intimidation occurred. Wilkinson also concluded senior WFT execs were indeed among the perpetrators and that ownership rarely acted to intervene.

I have learned a lot in the past few months about how my club operated and the kind of workplace we had,” Dan Snyder said in a statement. “It is now clear the culture was not what it should be, but I did not realize the extent of the problems or my role in allowing that culture to develop and continue.”

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