Sexual assault suit filed against former Grammy Awards CEO Neil Portnow
On November 8th, a legal action was initiated by an unidentified woman against Neil Portnow, the ex-CEO of the Grammy Awards, citing a sexual assault incident in 2018. The lawsuit also targets the Recording Academy, holding them accountable for alleged negligence.
This legal action was filed in the New York Supreme Court in Manhattan under the purview of the Adult Survivors Act, allowing survivors of sexual assault to surpass the state’s standard deadlines for filing claims. This act, established in 2022, offers a temporary window for individuals to address past incidents of alleged sexual assault.
The woman, an internationally recognised musician who once played a concert at New York’s Carnegie Hall, claims she met Portnow in early 2018 at a hotel room in New York City for an interview. She alleges that he gave her a drink that made her lose consciousness intermittently, and while she was unconscious, he assaulted her.
A representative for Portnow, who stepped down as the Grammy Awards CEO in 2019, wrote in an email response that the accusations were “completely false” and “undoubtedly motivated by Mr Portnow’s refusal to comply with the Plaintiff’s outrageous demands for money and assistance in obtaining a residence visa for her.”
The alleged victim detailed in the lawsuit that she had raised the issue with the academy in late 2018. In a responding statement, the academy said: “We continue to believe the claims to be without merit and intend to vigorously defend the Academy in this lawsuit.”
The alleged abuse first arose publicly in 2020, following Portnow’s resignation as CEO. His successor, Deborah Dugan, was dismissed from the post after just a few months and disclosed information pertaining to the abuse allegations in a complaint filed to the Academy.
For help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.
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