CNN faces a potential onslaught of lawsuits if it is proved in court that the liberal network had prior knowledge of sexual misconduct allegations against its recently fired star anchor Chris Cuomo but looked the other way, attorneys told FOX Business.
Benjamin Eghbali, CEO of the California-based law firm Eghbali, said scandal-plagued CNN could be on the hook for "seven figures" unless it successfully distances itself from Cuomo, who until last week hosted the network's most-watched program, "Cuomo Prime Time."
Eghbali, who has argued on behalf of victims in "hundreds" of sexual harassment cases, said Cuomo's situation will be held to a similar standard as the allegations against Harvey Weinstein.
"They’re going to try to push the blame completely on Chris Cuomo, and say they had no knowledge," Eghbali said. "So, the plaintiff’s job is going to be to show that there was some sort of knowledge on CNN’s side and they looked the other way … If they cannot prove that burden, then they will not be able to hold CNN responsible."
The woman, who has chosen to remain anonymous, took her allegations against Chris Cuomo to CNN on Wednesday through her lawyer, Debra Katz, The New York Times reported. She said she was "disgusted" by what she saw as his hypocrisy and attempts to discredit women who made similar allegations against his brother, her lawyer said Sunday.
The woman's complaint became known shortly after CNN fired the "Cuomo Prime Time" anchor Saturday night. Cuomo was also accused earlier this year of a harassment incident by former ABC News colleague Shelley Ross; he reiterated a previous apology in a statement, although he claimed that when he squeezed her buttock without permission it was not meant to be sexual in nature.
Eghbali said Cuomo will likely try to prove that what the woman is alleging against him was consensual – an opinion shared by Karen Agnifilo, former chief assistant district attorney at the Manhattan D.A.’s office, now with the firm Geragos & Geragos.
Meanwhile, The NY Post reports Cuomo is set to sue the network if it balks at paying him at least $18 million to cover what’s left on his contract.
Cuomo, 51, has hired lawyers and is preparing to file the lawsuit over the remainder of the four-year contract he signed last year — after a bitter back-and-forth about what the network knew of his secret efforts to aid his embattled brother, then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, said sources familiar with the matter.
His contract was reportedly worth $6 million annually, leaving between $18 million and $20 million that he would be owed, sources said, adding that Chris Cuomo would also likely seek damages.
But CNN has “no intention of paying [Chris] Cuomo a penny,” an insider said.
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