Owner Daniel Snyder watches warm-ups before the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Fed Ex Field on August 22, 2009 in Landover, Maryland. Photo: G Fiume/Getty Images
Outgoing Washington Commanders' owner Dan Snyder was fined $60 million after the NFL found he sexually harassed employees and deliberately hid millions of dollars in revenue from other teams, the league said Thursday.
The big picture: The NFL released the findings of an independent investigation into Snyder's conduct minutes after NFL owners voted to approve the sale of the Commanders.
- Snyder's tenure, which began in 1999, had been marred by harassment scandals and a deflated fanbase.
Details: The investigation, which was conducted over 17 months and included interviews with dozens of witnesses and a review of over 10,000 documents, found that Snyder sexually harassed former team employee Tiffani Johnston.
- Johnston, a former cheerleader and marketing official, testified in Congress last year that put Snyder put his hand on her thigh and tried to pull her into his limousine.
- Snyder had previously denied Johnston’s allegations and denied the incident had happened when speaking to the independent investigators.
Flashback: Testifying before Congress, five accusers said they faced sexual harassment and non-consensual touching hundreds of times while working for the team.
- They testified about a lewd video showing the cheerleaders exposed during a photo shoot, which the Washington Post reported in a 2020 investigation.
What they're saying: "The conduct substantiated in Ms. White’s findings has no place in the NFL," Commissioner Roger Goodell said in an emailed statement Thursday.
- "We strive for workplaces that are safe, respectful and professional. What Ms. Johnston experienced is inappropriate and contrary to the NFL’s values."
Flashback: End of Dan Snyder era in sight