Report: CBS, LAPD Sought To Cover-Up Allegation of Sexual Harassment

Les Moonves

The New York attorney general's office released a sweeping report Wednesday that detailed an elaborate cover-up at the highest levels of CBS in late 2017 and 2018 to try to contain allegations of sexual harassment by former chief Leslie Moonves.

The L-A Times report comes five years after a Los Angeles Police Department captain tipped off CBS executives, telling them a woman had come to the department's Hollywood station to report that Moonves had allegedly assaulted her in the 1980s.

"Somebody walked in the station about a couple hours ago and made allegations against your boss regarding a sexual assault," the police captain said in a Nov. 10, 2017, voicemail message left for a CBS executive, according to the report. "It’s confidential, as you know, but call me."

Over the next few months, the LAPD captain — whose role was not previously revealed — secretly provided Moonves and CBS executives with status updates on the LAPD’s investigation as well as personal details about the alleged accuser, the attorney general's office said. The captain slipped CBS a copy of the accuser's report, and top CBS executives then "began investigating the victim's personal circumstances and that of her family," the report said.

Moonves, wife Julie Chen

The police captain was friendly with CBS executives because he had been part of Moonves' security detail for the Grammy Awards for several years, according to the document.

Both sides sought to downplay the gravity of the woman's complaint, which came as the #MeToo movement was reaching a fever pitch. CBS executives were assured by the captain that LAPD "implemented controls to prevent news of the police report from leaking to the press," the document said.

“CBS and its senior leadership knew about multiple allegations of sexual assault made against Mr. Moonves and intentionally concealed those allegations from regulators, shareholders, and the public for months,” according to a statement from New York Atty. Gen. Letitia James’ office.

Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore told The Times that his department only recently became aware of the allegations involving a ranking officer. The department later identified the officer as Cmdr. Cory Palka, who was captain of the Hollywood station in 2017 and 2018 and has since retired.